Global Mental Health Unboxed #24
Your monthly newsletter for all things global mental health
17 July 2025
Dear readers,
Welcome old and new readers alike to the latest edition of the newsletter that brings you events, job opportunities, news, resources and publications in the world of global mental health. As the field is suffering under a lot of blows right now, I try to keep the information flowing to give you all a complete picture and maybe a starting point. This is something that relies a lot on you, the readers - I hope you enjoy this newsletter and please share in your networks to anyone who may be interested. And more than that, if you have anything to share with this readership, let me know at manolova.gergana@gmail.com
Please note: since August is usually a quiet month, or maybe quite busy if you happen to live by the beach, I will publish the next edition of the newsletter at the beginning of September.
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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.
lululemon funds community organizations globally
It you are part of an organization which supports wellbeing “through creating equitable access to movement and mindful programming”, this is your moment - the fund by exercise clothing company lululemon disburses up to $50,000 USD if the organization meets the criteria. Applications for 2026 are due by 1 August, more information here.
Canada keen on supporting mental health apps
Staying ahead of the wave, the Mental Health Commission of Canada is inviting developers of mental health apps to submit their app for assessment according to the Commission’s developed framework. The call especially encourages smaller and newer apps, as well as those aimed at supporting underserved or vulnerable populations. The five apps selected will receive help in meeting high standards on clinical safety, accessibility, cultural responsiveness and data privacy.
WHO seeking bids for including underrepresented populations in clinical trials
Coming out of WHO’s disability work, this request for proposals is seeking a contractor prepared to carry out a global scoping review on which populations are underrepresented in clinical trials (with a focus on children, pregnant women, disabled and elderly people), map existing policies and draft proposals of how to address the gaps. The deadline for proposals is 11 August.
Events in Global Mental Health
The event calendar for 2025 is at globallyminded.org. Keep in mind that events may be announced shortly before they take place and I publish them on the website with only 2-3 days’ notice. I only publish some spotlights here.
17 July 2025 — Launch of the Regional Coalition for Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention in the Eastern Mediterranean Region — the EMRO region of WHO follows in the wake of the establishment of the Pan-European Mental Health Coalition to strengthen intersectoral and international cooperation. It may not be exactly the same thing, as each region has its own challenges, but the growth of awareness that mental health is not the problem of a single sector can only be a good thing. One is a happy occasion, two is a trend?…
22 July 2025 — Youth Reimagining Leadership in Mental Health — a stellar cast of speakers of youth movements and organizations working in mental health will discuss how they view leadership. I know some of the names in the lineup, and they mean business - I expect that their visions will form the consensus of our future field of global mental health.
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
Part-time Administration Assistant: Mental Health Research Programmes at University of Oxford, UK - by 23 July
Some experience (2-5 years) necessary
Development Manager at Happier Lives Institute, remote - by 25 July
Research Associate at the University of Manchester, UK - by 24 July
Research Fellow - Population Mental Health at UCL, UK - by 7 August
Consultant MHPSS, IOM, Niger (French)
5+ years of experience necessary
Technical Officer, NCD and Mental Health, WHO Brazil - by 26 July
Senior Research Manager, Mental Health Innovation at Wellcome, UK - by 27 July
Senior Lecturer in Global Mental Health Science and Practice at University of Glasgow, Scotland - by 21st July (posted also in the June edition)
Director, Global Mental Health, CHAI, US
Resources in Global Mental Health
A section for various resources, databanks, information sources that may prove helpful.
Mental health and AI guide - the guide is a whole website, explaining how AI could be used to enhance mental health. Have in mind that one of the contributors is Google - the other two are McKinsey Health Institute and Grand Challenges Canada - which has a corporate interest in AI use; however, if you haven’t previously grappled with AI and mental health, this is a good sampler into the mechanics. I found it a little thin on the subject of ethics and potential risks - despite the seemingly well-developed sections on governance and upholding safety - and would recommend any implementers read further on the emerging research around feasibility and ethics (I will feature some in future editions of the newsletter).
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.
Effectiveness of peer support for people with severe mental health conditions in high-, middle- and low-income countries: multicentre randomised controlled trial - this one requires a bit of a trip down Memory Lane. I entered the field of global mental health in 2016 and at that time peer support was talked about as a dream that will take forever to go through the formal scientific evaluation process (never mind that people have done it for millennia). But the clear and credible evidence is here. A particular strength of this study is that it evaluates peer support in high-income, middle-income and low-income countries. The results confirm the power of peer support and conclude: “Peer support has the potential to move global mental health closer towards a recovery- and rights-based orientation.”
Is there a mental health diagnostic crisis in primary care? Current research practices in global mental health cannot answer that question - an interesting editorial which discusses a key point on which a lot of global mental health research rests - how people are diagnosed with mental health conditions in primary care. The authors argue that current practices, which rely overwhelmingly on PHQ-9 and look for (and find) depression, are insufficiently detailed and too inconsistent to give the full picture. The authors do admit that some of the strategies, such as using the time-intensive clinical structured interviews, face feasibility barriers. On the other hand, global mental health should look to perfect its methods, so perhaps this is the next logical step for clinical research to take.
Something for your mental health
This corner is a place to share something satisfying, funny or enriching that can enhance your experience of daily life and through this, your mental health.
TV Garden - a great place to watch TV channels from all over the world, for the nostalgia, for the languages, out of curiosity or just because you have always wanted to know what they show on TV in San Marino. Or Greenland. Or Nicaragua.
Thank you for reading this month’s newsletter. I will publish the next edition in September 2025. 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.