Global Mental Health Unboxed #21
Your monthly newsletter on all things global mental health
7 April 2025
Dear readers,
Welcome to the latest newsletter edition. I’m sure we are all deep in the spring/autumn of our discontent and while I can’t offer much to soften April as the cruelest month, at least I can give you a portion of global mental health events, news, job vacancies (I will try to include as many as I can in the future) and resources. I also started a new rubric “Something for your mental health” at the bottom, which is what it says on the tin. We need to take care of each other in these times and that’s my way to do it. Stay calm, stay cool, stay informed. If you need to scream into the void, write to me. If you have ideas for what to include in the next newsletter, write to me.
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Yours,
Gergana
News and Notes in Global Mental Health
Here I share interesting pieces of information, announcements and news that have reached me in our field. I rely on your contributions as well - please share your news or announcements with me.
Call for papers on mental health and armed conflict
The journal of the Red Cross, International Review, is looking for papers on mental health and armed conflict - a long-standing and unfortunately growing share of global mental health. Submit your abstract by 15th May and the full paper by 15th November.
… and papers on stigma and health
Another request for papers by the journal Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine for an article collection on the health impacts of stigma curated by three thoughtful global mental health scholars. The deadline for the full manuscript is by 28th November, so you have the time to start one now, too.
Wellcome is looking for lived experience platform developer
For all organizations working on lived experience, hurry up and submit for the Wellcome call for developers of a platform for practical interactive resources to guide lived experience collaboration in mental health research. This is not supposed to reinvent the wheel, but gather in one places resources currently scattered to the four winds of various projects. The deadline for submissions is 8th April.
Support for organizations applying the MHPSS Minimum Service Package
IASC developed the MHPSS Minimum Service Package to boost an intersectoral MHPSS response in humanitarian settings, and by most accounts it’s been a great tool. They are currently seeking agencies or organizations interested in further field-testing the MSP workshop package this year. Organizations, or rather groups of organizations currently using the package in a humanitarian emergency, can get two kinds of support: MHPSS expert collaboration, and small grants for MSP workshops and feedback.
Events in Global Mental Health
The event calendar for 2025 is at globallyminded.org. Keep in mind that events may beannounced shortly before they take place and I publish them on the website with only 2-3 days’ notice. I only publish some spotlights here.
10 April - Breaking Barriers - Reflecting on 'Mad Activism,' Power Structures & Centring Lived Experience webinar by the Global Mental Health Action Network - one of the great successes of the global mental health movement in the past 10 years has been to make lived experience a benchmark for the basic necessities of your project, initiative or research. Let’s hear it straight from the source on what should be done next in this sphere, what we should be looking out for, and how to interrogate our own perspective and power in our professional work.
Jobs and Opportunities in Global Mental Health
The jobs and opportunities listed here might not be advertised as being in global mental health and the decision for including them is mine alone. Unless otherwise stated, I have found out about them through job sites, social media posts, other newsletters and so on, so I have no more information on them than publicly available and you should refer to those listed in the job ad.
No or minimum experience necessary
PhD scholarship in mental health law and policy at La Trobe University, Australia (see bottom of page) - by 30th April
Mental Health Intern at the International Rescue Committee, US (unpaid)
Project Officer Lived/Living Experience at Queensland government, Australia - by 8th April
Research Assistant at the National University of Singapore
Some experience (2-5 years) necessary
Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Project Manager at Medair
Research Fellow at the University of York, UK - by 14th April
Research Assistant/Associate at Newcastle University, UK - by 23rd April
Coordinator, Community of Practice on Staff Care at Protect Humanitarians, Belgium - by 25th April
Postdoctoral Fellow at McGill University, Canada
5+ years of experience necessary
Technical Advisor, Mental Health Cost-Effectiveness at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, US
MHPSS Project Officer at the International Organization for Migration, DRC - by 15th April
Associate Director for Research at the Research Program on Children and Adversity, US
Emergency MHPSS Specialist at Humanity and Inclusion, Jordan
Resources in Global Mental Health
A section for various resources, databanks, information sources that may prove helpful.
Global MHPSS Library - the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub is hard to beat for the sheer amount of content - guides, tools, videos, podcasts numbering in the thousand and more, primarily in English but also in over 40 more languages. Excellent if you are looking for one specific thing, or if you intend to specialize in MHPSS and want a convenient library to upgrade your knowledge.
WHO Guidance on mental health policy and strategic action plans - I have been waiting for this to come out (having had the chance to review drafts in WHO) so that I can shout about it from the rooftops. This guidance is game-changing for any place, country, organization around the world which needs a step-by-step on how to implement its mental health policy. Not only that, but make it intersectoral - exactly the approach needed to integrate mental health into all aspects of society. The team has been thorough in describing what and how changes need to be made. The documents are extensive and that’s not even going into the country case scenarios and the directory of policy activities; take your time to get through it - not a one-sitting read - and then spread the word, because this is the definitive guidance for the next decade of global mental health policy.
Publications in Global Mental Health
The selection of publications ultimately reflects my personal knowledge and preferences, but I have no intended bias. Feel free to send me publications you consider interesting or that you would like to be featured. I try to focus on articles that are free or open access.
Ethical principles in global mental health by USAID
A reflection of the ongoing turbulence, you can now find USAID publications only at certain knowledge hubs around the web. Global mental health is a field made of roughly one-third development aid, one-third research funding and one-third grassroots advocacy. The decimation of US Agency for International Development and other developments in US funding make for bitter reckoning. Our field is not finished, not by a long shot, but it has been dealt a very serious blow. Things will never be the same. Even if global mental health was not targeted as some other public health streams were, it will bear the consequences of projects abruptly stopped and local organizations deprived of their lifeblood funding. Many of these organizations are multi-purpose and mental health makes just part of it - you could say they have the luxury to work in mental health because of the other funding they receive. Which has likely now also been cut. Even if some make the argument that this is the best time for governments to divest themselves of development aid money, hardly any government has the funds required to cover this shortfall, and what money there is will go to more obvious and dramatic causes first, while people with MNS conditions will be left behind. Again. In terms of ethical principles, this is one of the big no-nos - stopping abruptly treatment for which there is no plausible alternative. It’s highly ironic how many principles listed in the above document’s Table I are violated by the deletion of USAID.
Aside from the big, glaring, devastating issue of people who will die because their MNS conditions are not treated, there is also the issue of loss of field. People who worked all across the chain of global mental health conceptualization and delivery, from HIC to LMIC, from university to district clinic, will soon leave for other jobs, as the field is no longer viable for them. With their leaving, know-how of processes, populations and policies (and politicians) will be lost. In a year, the know-how loss will be irrecoverable. Already websites are shuttering, taking away their invaluable resources and experiences, already people are having to move on because they have families to feed. Those left standing need to dedicate time, mental space and funding to finding out how best to salvage the going knowledge, be it repositories, case studies, knowledge sharing webinars, or other ways that can be maintained in perpetuity, or as close to perpetuity as our human ways allow us. So that we know how to pick it up again when the time comes.
Something for your mental health
Starting a new corner to share something satisfying, funny or enriching that can enhance your experience of daily life and through this, your mental health.
FallingFruit.org - Especially for the readers in the Southern Hemisphere, where autumn is entering its most fruitful (ha!) period, but also for those planning to take more walks this spring and summer, this map of the world directs you to publicly available fruit and herb trees so that you can tune into the plant world around you and forage. Do it with care for others (leave some) and the trees (pick carefully); bring a small bag; and if in doubt of tree species, use one of the handy open-source apps such as PlantNet to help you identify it. If you can, add to it. My advice: avoid collecting from trees too close to busy roads, but you can go admire them just the same, leaving the news and social media behind.
Thank you for reading this month’s newsletter. I will publish the next edition in May 2025 and in the meantime will keep updating my website when I find the time. If you have ideas, suggestions, or just want to say hi (the best thing!), you can leave me a comment or write an email - my address is above in the introduction.
You might appreciate this Gergana - although you might also not :) https://open.substack.com/pub/oswald67/p/teen-mental-health-crisis-reflections?r=2r3au&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Hi Gergana,
I'm relatively new to starting my Substack journey - and am keen to join and help form a community of like-minded people. We seem to be on the same page. My Substack is called Desperately Seeking Wisdom and is for people looking for help navigating a complex world. craigoliver.substack.com. Looking to support and get help/tips. Keen up the great work. Craig