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The Role of Health Promotion Foundations in Enhancing Global Mental Health Strategies, Innovations, and Workplace Well-Being

Intro

Health promotion foundations and Agencies are key in
  • Creating supportive environments
  • Reducing stigma
  • Expanding mental health services

Mental health is an escalating global challenge, affecting millions worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in four people will experience mental or neurological disorders in their lifetime, with depression now among the leading causes of disability. Addressing mental health requires effective health promotion and early intervention strategies that focus on prevention, resilience, and social connectedness. Early intervention reduces long-term impacts and improves recovery.

Role of Health Promotion Foundations and Agencies

Health Promotion Foundations (HPFs) and their strategic partner agencies, especially the Ministry of Health (MOH), are key in creating supportive environments, reducing stigma, and expanding mental health services. Moreover, they also enhance the capabilities of service providers, as well as develop innovative programs to promote mental health and well-being.

Addressing mental health requires
  • Effective promotion
  • Early intervention strategies that focus on Prevention, Resilience, and Social Connectedness

Expanding Capacity
of Mental Health Services

Health promotion foundations contribute to expanding the capacity of mental health services by working with governments, healthcare providers, and communities to ensure broader access to care.

Primary and community services

The Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore

Expanding hospital and community care
  • Plans to offer mental health services at all polyclinics by 2030.
  • Training more general practitioners and establishing new psychiatric nursing home and a rehabilitation home.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore is enhancing mental health services by expanding hospital and community care. This includes increasing psychiatric inpatient and rehabilitation services with plans to offer mental health services at all polyclinics by 2030. Singapore MOH is also training more general practitioners through the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership (MHGPP) and will establish two new psychiatric nursing homes and a rehabilitation home. Ref

VicHealth, Australia

Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Victoria

Improving access to community services.

Support social inclusion • Enhance resilience • Reduce mental disorders

Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) promotes mental health by improving access to community services. It develops programs that support social inclusion, enhance resilience, and reduce mental disorders.

Future Reset

Foster a sense of belonging and mental well-being.
Using creativity to strengthen social connections and resilience among young people facing modern challenges.

Future Reset aims to boost mental health and social connection through creative expression. It works with 9 arts organizations and 9 young creative leaders to help youth create artistic projects in their communities in order to foster a sense of belonging and mental well-being. It also offers a digital platform to showcase their work and engage the community, using creativity to strengthen social connections and resilience among young people facing modern challenges. Ref

HWQld, Australia

Health and Wellbeing Queensland

Encouraging healthy lifestyles with diet and exercise programs that positively influence wellbeing.

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) integrates mental health promotion into its public health campaigns, focusing on preventative services through local initiatives in Queensland. It supports mental health by encouraging healthy lifestyles with diet and exercise programs that positively influence wellbeing.

Shifting Minds and Better Care Together

Emphasize a systems approach :
Addressing social factors such as housing, income, and education that greatly impact mental health.

Shifting Minds and Better Care Together strategy emphasizes a systems approach to create a supportive environment for mental health by addressing social factors such as housing, income, and education that greatly impact mental health, and collaboration across government.

Shifting Minds

Vision

Queenslanders are mentally healthy and well, connected with their communities, and supported by an integrated and coordinated mental health and wellbeing system.

Focuses on improve the mental health and wellbeing, and preventing and reducing the impact of mental ill-health, problematic alcohol and other drug use, and suicide.

Ref:

In Korea

Reduce suicide rates.

The Republic of Korea has implemented several policies to reduce suicide rates. “Act on the Prevention of Suicide and the Creation of a Culture of Respect for Life” was launched in 2011, and led to the establishment of the Korea Suicide Prevention Center and the Korea Psychological Autopsy Center. An establishment of the National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention (2018 – 2022) creates a dedicated Suicide Prevention Policy Department within the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). Ref

ThaiHealth, Thailand

  • Collaborating
  • Protect the mental health of the population
  • Mitigate mental health risk factors, which include policies for children, youth, and social factors.

Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) promotes mental health through public policy by collaborating with stakeholders, particularly the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), to develop and advocate for national strategies related to mental health.

National policies and frameworks

ThaiHealth supports national policies and frameworks that protect the mental health of the population and mitigate mental health risk factors, which include policies for children, youth, and social factors. This aligns with Thailand’s Mental Health Act of 2019 and the National Mental Health Development Plan (2018 – 2080).

Ensure universal access to mental health services for all age groups,

The key fundamental is to ensure universal access to mental health services for all age groups, which includes training community mental health promoters, introducing mental health personnel in workplaces and schools, strengthening mental health services outside of hospitals, focusing on early intervention and community-based approaches, and using technology to make mental health services accessible to everyone.

Crisis support services

In Singapore

Crisis Response Team (CRT)

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore is also developing national helplines, digital platforms, and crisis support services, including a Crisis Response Team (CRT) to help police manage suicide cases, particularly for young people experiencing psychosocial stress.

In Korea

Emergency psychological support and runs community-based crisis programs to manage suicides effectively

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (South Korea) collaborates with local governments and community centers to provide emergency psychological support and runs community-based crisis programs to manage suicides effectively.

Key changes

Key changes include creating joint response centers for 24-hour support, increasing psychiatric emergency beds, and enhancing case management to improve crisis response services.

Suicide prevention

Training and guidelines for people with a high risk of suicide

Also, suicide prevention is promoted through training and guidelines for people with a high risk of suicide, particularly teenagers and office workers in order to identify people at risk of suicide and connect them to support services such as the Gatekeeper Program and Suicide CARE program.

Gatekeeper

A key strategy to reduce suicide rates
  • Trains individuals to identify people at risk of suicide and connect them to support services.
  • By 2018, 1 million gatekeepers had been trained.

A key strategy is the Gatekeeper Program, which trains individuals to identify people at risk of suicide and connect them to support services. By 2018, 1 million gatekeepers had been trained.

The standardized program, called Suicide CARE, was first introduced in 2012 and has been updated to cater to various groups, such as teenagers and office workers. This program takes a life-cycle approach and continuously improves based on feedback and data analysis from the Psychological Autopsy Center.

Enhancing Capabilities
of Service Providers

To provide effective mental health services, it’s essential to have more trained service providers across various sectors.

In Singapore

Key points

  • Volunteers and Frontline workers
  • Enhance the skills of 15,000 social service professionals.

In Singapore, the National Mental Health Competency Training Framework helps providers gain the necessary skills for each level of care. So far, over 90,000 volunteers and frontline workers from government agencies, community partners, and mental health services have received training in mental health awareness. These workers will also learn how to offer psychological first aid when needed. In the next two years, the goal is to train about 10,000 more frontline personnel and enhance the skills of 1,500 social service professionals. Ref

VicHealth

Victoria, Australia

Key points
  • Training for Mental health practitioners and community workers.
  • Pilot project

VicHealth provides ongoing training for mental health practitioners and community workers, helping them improve their skills to deliver better mental health services. One notable initiative is the mental health literacy pilot project, partnering with multicultural consultants, community leaders, and advocates to enhance the mental well-being of young people in South Sudanese, South Asian, and Pasifika communities. Ref

In South Korea

Key points
  • Collaborates with universities and research institutes to improve the skills of mental health professionals.
  • Placing mental health specialists in emergency response centers and increasing the number of counselors available on hotlines

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (South Korea) collaborates with universities and research institutes to improve the skills of mental health professionals. It offers advanced training workshops to integrate mental health service providers more effectively. This initiative also includes placing mental health specialists in emergency response centers and increasing the number of counselors available on hotlines, such as the new “109” suicide prevention line, to better support individuals in crisis.

ThaiHealth, Thailand

Key points
  • Evidence-based policies
  • Track and monitor mental health programs for continuous improvement.
  • Positive psychology training and activities for individuals and organizations

ThaiHealth emphasizes research that drives early intervention measures and supports evidence-based policies. The strategy calls for utilizing new technologies and data-driven approaches to improve mental health services and psychosocial interventions. The foundation also collaborates with strategic partners to track and monitor mental health programs for continuous improvement. This includes building a mental health database to ensure effective tracking at the community level. More importantly, ThaiHealth promotes positive psychology training and activities for individuals and organizations.

Happy Life Happy Skills Solution

Key points
  • Life skills development through positive psychology
  • Self-improvement activities that help overcome obstacles and promote resilience
  • Support institutions to create a positive, growth-oriented environment.

The Happy Life Happy Skills Solution initiative focuses on life skills development through positive psychology, offering tools and activities to help individuals cultivate happiness and emotional well-being. Users can engage in self-improvement activities that help overcome obstacles and promote resilience. Institutions, including workplaces and educational organizations, can use structured programs from this initiative to create a positive, growth-oriented environment for staff or students. Ref

Promoting Mental Health
and Well-Being

Awareness and Literacy

Key points
  • Building mental health literacy and resilience should begin early.
  • Normalize conversations about mental health, reduce stigma

In Singapore

Initiatives are also planned to help preschoolers develop resilience. HPB runs programs for students during critical transition years.

Building mental health literacy and resilience should begin early. The Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore has launched programs in schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to support students’ mental well-being. Initiatives are also planned to help preschoolers develop resilience. The programs focus on students during critical transition years and collaborate with IHLs to create peer support systems and train volunteer peer supporters.

Challenges

However, the requirement for parental consent may limit access to mental health services for children and youths, as the age of consent is set at 21 and above. The government is looking into practices from other countries to address this issue effectively.

Campaigns and Movement

Focus on both prevention and treatment.
Efforts are underway to
  • Normalize conversations surrounding mental health and well-being,
  • Improve mental health literacy
  • Reduce stigma.

A comprehensive mental health strategy should focus on both prevention and treatment, in line with the Healthier SG approach. Efforts are underway to promote mental well-being, normalize conversations about mental health, improve mental health literacy, and reduce stigma. Key initiatives include public education campaigns like “It’s OKAY to Reach Out” from the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the “Beyond the Label” movement by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) to combat stigma. Ref

Campaigns

It’s OKAY to reach out

With the daily demands of our lives, we may sometimes feel stressed, worried, or even sad. It is common to feel this way and we are not alone in experiencing them. When things start to feel overwhelming, it’s okay to reach out for support.

Inspired by real events, here are stories of everyday youth taking the
first step to reach out for support. Listen now.

Beyond the label

A Mental Health Anti-Stigma Movement

Its primary focus is on addressing stigma and promoting awareness and acceptance of persons with mental health conditions (PMHCs).

The South Korean government

The South Korean government aims to raise public awareness through suicide prevention education for 16 million people and by using integrated hotlines and social media counseling services. National campaigns to reduce mental health stigma and promote early intervention such as “Mindlink” campaign.

Mindlink

Mindlink serves as a community-based, stigma-free and early-intervention center for young people aged 15 to 30, addressing significant barriers to mental health care, such as
  • Social stigma
  • Lack of youth mental health services.

ThaiHealth, Thailand

In Thailand, ThaiHealth builds mental health literacy among the public to reduce stigma and promote positive attitudes toward mental health. This includes creating awareness campaigns and involving those with mental health challenges and their families in decision-making processes.

DMIND, depression screening

Check mental health and get recommendations based on their assessments.

The DMIND application is an AI-powered tool designed for depression screening. It integrates with popular platforms like Line Official Account and Facebook to make mental health assessments accessible.

Users can access the app via the “Mor Prom” platform, which offers a step-by-step process to check mental health and get recommendations based on their assessments. The app is aimed at early detection and prevention of mental health issues, especially depression, by providing easy-to-use screening tools. Ref

Hear to Heal

Hear to Heal project offers free online mental health consultations by trained volunteers. The initiative also includes psychology workshops and campaigns to spread mental health awareness. Hear to Heal serves as an accessible and affordable solution for those seeking mental health support, particularly in cases of anxiety, depression, or everyday stress. Ref

Building Youth Resiliency

Key points

  • Strengthen support for parents
  • Trains youth to identify mental health warning signs, encourage peers to seek help, and provide support.
  • Tools to overcome challenges, tackle stress, and to build resilience
  • Social connections

In Singapore

To build resilience in young people, the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have introduced mental health education programs in schools and higher learning institutions, including peer support structures. They also strengthen support for parents through workshops and a Parents’ Toolbox to help nurture their children’s mental well-being.

Strengthening support for parents through workshops and a Parents’ Toolbox to help nurture their children’s mental well-being.

Youth Support Youth (YSY)

The Youth Support Youth (YSY) Program trains youth aged 17-25 to identify mental health warning signs, encourage peers to seek help, and provide support.

Bounce Back Stronger Youth Online Kit

Offering tips and tools to build resilience, cope with stress, and share inspiring stories of overcoming challenges.
Develop psychological resilience, self-esteem, and social connections

The Bounce Back Stronger Youth Online Kit is launched for those aged 13 and above, offering tips and tools to build resilience, cope with stress, and share inspiring stories of overcoming challenges. This kit helps develop psychological resilience, self-esteem, and social connections, providing resources like peer support tools and coping strength checklists. The launch included peer-led projects and a seminar featuring local celebrities to emphasize resilience.

HWQld, Queensland, Australia

Dear Mind

  • Positive mental health activities
  • Providing tools to develop coping skills and resilience while managing stress and anxiety.

Similarly, the Dear Mind campaign (by HWQld) in Queensland, Australia  targets youth aged 15-17, engaging them in positive mental health activities and providing tools to develop coping skills and resilience while managing stress and anxiety. Ref

VicHealth, Australia

Bright Futures Campaign

Societal trends that affect youth mental health.
Aimed at building resilience, enhancing social connections, and fostering community cohesion

The Bright Futures Campaign, launched by VicHealth in the state of Victoria, Australia, focuses on identifying and addressing societal trends that affect youth mental health, targeting individuals aged 12 to 25. Key objectives include building resilience, enhancing social connections, and fostering community cohesion. From 2016 to 2020, the councils co-designed over 20 programs aimed at increasing resilience and social connectivity.

Successful projects included
  • ConnectMates, which connected individuals with disabilities to community volunteers.
  • Young Women’s Leadership Program, which built confidence among young women from diverse backgrounds.

Big Connect

“Programs across the state will give unreached youth the opportunity to connect with each other, nature, and physical activity in a safe and fun environment.”

Another project is the Big Connect, which creates over 100,000 new social connection opportunities for young people in Victoria to connect with society, nature, and physical activity in a safe and fun environment. This program aims to support youths affected by social isolation by offering activities in sports, recreation, arts, and culture.

Aims to support youths affected by social isolation by offering activities in sports, recreation, arts, and culture.

SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboarding)

For example, Surfing Victoria’s Community Connect uses stand-up paddleboarding to promote the mental well-being of regional multicultural youth, providing a safe space for physical activity and social connection.

JumpStart

  • Encourages active, vibrant communities through sports, art, play, and food-related activities.
  • Targets children and youth aged 0–25
  • A variety of activities, such as dance workshops, gymnastics for mothers and babies, and dodgeball, all aimed at promoting both physical and mental health.

Lastly, JumpStart! targets children and youth aged 0–25 and encourages active, vibrant communities through sports, art, play, and food-related activities. These programs include a variety of activities, such as dance workshops, gymnastics for mothers and babies, and dodgeball, all aimed at promoting both physical and mental health.

ThaiHealth, Thailand

For Thailand, ThaiHealth, in collaboration with Thammasat University, launched the initiative to foster mental health among students and staff.

The Future Wellness University

The Future Wellness University promotes policies that prioritize mental health and tackle issues like e-cigarettes and stress among students. The initiative uses technology, such as health apps, to enhance mental health services within the university. It also coordinates with various service providers to ensure comprehensive mental health support across campuses. Events like hackathons are organized to solve emerging social issues through student and faculty collaboration.

Viva City and TCAPS

Offering a range of services from consultations to mobile mental health care.

Viva City and TCAPS (Thammasat Counseling and Psychological Service) are psychological counseling centers that provide support to Thammasat University students, offering a range of services from consultations to mobile mental health care. The center provides students with counseling and mental health education, backed by trained psychologists and researchers.

Community Engagement

In Singapore

SG Mental Well-Being Network

Key points
Unites public, private, and community sectors
  • Creates Well-Being Circles to train peer supporters in neighborhoods
  • Addressing harmful online content for youth, cyber wellness
  • Developing a guide for positive technology use.

The SG Mental Well-Being Network unites public, private, and community sectors to enhance mental health outcomes in Singapore. It creates Well-Being Circles to train peer supporters in neighborhoods, with over 500 volunteers already trained and more circles planned. A key focus is addressing harmful online content for youth, with the Ministry of Education emphasizing cyber wellness. The government is also developing a guide for positive technology use.

HWQld, Australia

Health and Wellbeing Queensland

Healthy Lifestyle Choices
  • Healthy lifestyle choices : Emphasizing the link between physical and mental well-being, ensure mental health resources are accessible.
  • Reducing social isolation : The programs focus on reducing social isolation through events like
    • Festivals and arts projects
    • Building mental health awareness through educational resources and workshops.
  • Safe environments, especially for marginalized groups

HWQld promotes healthy lifestyle choices to improve mental health, emphasizing the link between physical and mental well-being. Community-based mental health initiatives through Mental Health and Wellbeing Grants support local projects focused on mental health promotion, early intervention, and prevention, particularly for at-risk groups like Indigenous Australians, LGBTQIA+, individuals, and rural communities. The program promotes collaboration between community groups and health services to ensure mental health resources are accessible.

These activities foster connections and combat loneliness, supporting mental wellness.

The programs focus on reducing social isolation through events like festivals and arts projects and building mental health awareness through educational resources and workshops. These activities foster connections and combat loneliness, supporting mental wellness. Safe environments in schools and workplaces, especially for marginalized groups, are also promoted.

Future Healthy

Envisions a future where young people are active, connected, and healthy.
Through holistic approaches that promote
Nutritious food • Physical activity • Community engagement.

The Future Healthy initiative envisions a future where young people are active, connected, and healthy. It aims to improve both mental and physical health through holistic approaches that promote nutritious food, physical activity, and community engagement. This initiative collaborates with numerous organizations to implement community-driven projects and campaigns, helping youth stay connected and maintain their overall well-being.

Workplace

Improving Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being

Key takeaways

Employers and employees playing a vital role

  • Healthier workplaces
    • Training employees to be peer supporters
    • Guides employers in promoting positive practices, preventing psychological harm, and supporting recovery
  • Boost productivity, reduce absenteeism, and increase job satisfaction
  • Social support and emotional skills development
  • Raising mental health awareness

HPB, Singapore

Employers and employees playing a vital role in promoting mental well-being.

Singapore HPB recognizes the workplace’s significant impact on mental health, with employers and employees playing a vital role in promoting mental well-being. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), the Workplace Safety and Health Council, and HPB are collaborating to improve mental health support systems in workplaces.

Campaigns

Take time to take care

Take time to take care of each other’s safety and health.

Staying safe at the workplace should be our utmost priority.

Employers must build a culture of trust and empower workers to co-create safer and healthier workplaces, while employees are called upon to embrace safe work practices and speak up upon seeing unsafe situations, because ultimately, “Reporting Saves Lives”.

VicHealth, Australia

Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Victoria

Key points
  • Encouraging employers to foster supportive environments for mental health at work.
  • “Stay on Track,” helps young workers manage the increasing demands of their jobs.
  • Helping young employees navigate disruptions like automation and changing job demands.

Workplace Wellbeing Challenge

VicHealth supports workplace programs aimed at reducing stress and improving mental well-being in Victoria. The “Workplace Wellbeing Challenge” encourages employers to foster supportive environments for mental health at work. One of its initiatives, “Stay on Track” helps young workers manage the increasing demands of their jobs by promoting social connections, resilience, and skill development.

Stay on Track

Its main goal is to assist employers in creating healthier workplaces that enhance mental well-being through increased social support and emotional skills development. This is crucial in a rapidly changing job landscape, as it helps young employees navigate disruptions like automation and changing job demands, enabling them to thrive in their careers.

In Queensland, Australia

Work Well Program

The Work Well Program in Queensland has successfully helped over 200 businesses support mental well-being in the workplace, positively impacting more than 50,000 employees.

This initiative creates healthy work environments that :-
  • Boost productivity
  • Reduce absenteeism
  • Increase job satisfaction

It includes activities and workshops aimed at raising mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting early intervention and support for mental health issues.

Assisting employers

Mentally Healthy Workplace Toolkit

Offers practical resources
This toolkit guides employers in promoting positive practices, preventing psychological harm, and supporting recovery.

To further assist employers, the “Mentally Healthy Workplaces Toolkit” offers practical resources for creating and maintaining healthy work environments. This toolkit guides employers on promoting positive practices, preventing psychological harm, and supporting recovery.

“People at Work” survey tool

Assess psychosocial risks.

Additionally, the “People at Work” survey tool helps organizations assess psychosocial risks and improve workplace mental health.

Overall, creating a mentally healthy workplace is not just beneficial for business but also a legal requirement under the Work Health and Safety Act.

Ref1, Ref2

ThaiHealth, Thailand

“Happy Workplace”

Aims to improve workers’ quality of life in Thailand, including mental health, stress reduction, and financial management.
  • Urban areas like Bangkok have a lot of fast food and high stress levels.
  • Supporting from community centers like temples.
  • Continuing efforts to integrate the Happy Workplace concept into national policies.

ThaiHealth’s “Happy Workplace” initiative aims to improve workers’ quality of life in Thailand by focusing on eight key areas, including mental health, stress reduction, and financial management. This program seeks to create healthier and happier work environments, especially in urban areas like Bangkok, where fast food and high stress levels contribute to health issues such as diabetes and unhealthy lifestyles.

The initiative, inspired by the World Health Organization’s framework, includes strategies like a long-term plan to enhance workplace happiness, tax incentives for health-promoting seminars, and support from community centers like temples.

Since its launch, the program has reached over 10,500 organizations, positively impacting millions of workers by encouraging healthier habits and reducing stress. ThaiHealth is committed to continuing its efforts to integrate the Happy Workplace concept into national policies, helping create a more productive and healthier workforce.

Mindfulness in Organization (MIO)

Positive work environment
Helps individuals and teams improve their mental health and productivity by enhancing emotional intelligence, responsibility, and problem-solving skills.

The Mindfulness in Organization (MIO) program promotes mindfulness practice in workplaces, not as a religious tool but based on psychological principles, aiming for improved workplace and individual mental health. MIO aims to help individuals and teams improve their mental health and productivity by enhancing emotional intelligence, responsibility, and problem-solving skills.

Activities include practical training sessions in mindfulness, which help people develop better emotional regulation, empathy, and creativity in the workplace. By fostering a positive work environment, MIO encourages healthier teams and more effective organizational performance.

Innovative Technologies
and Funding Models

Key Takeaways
  • Increasing accessibility and providing support to individuals who may not have access to traditional services.

As the landscape of mental health care evolves, health promotion foundations and agencies are adopting innovative technologies and funding models to improve the delivery of services and expand access to care.

Technological Innovation

Digital technology has revolutionized mental health care by increasing accessibility and providing support to individuals who may not have access to traditional services.

MindSpot

Australia

Expands access to mental health care, particularly for individuals living in remote areas, via telephone and online platforms.

In Australia, MindSpot delivers mental health services via telephone and online platforms. This digital alternative to traditional in-person therapy has expanded access to mental health care, particularly for individuals living in remote areas or those who face barriers to accessing in-person services.

MindSG and mindline.sg Singapore

Provide mental health resources and self-help tools, ensuring private, stigma-free access to support.

Digital platforms like MindSG and mindline.sg provide mental health resources and self-help tools, ensuring private, stigma-free access to support. These platforms will be improved under the Healthier SG initiative to align with care protocols for anxiety and depression, further supporting mental well-being in the community.

KakaoTalk South Korea

Offers mental health self-diagnosis tools.

South Korea has integrated mobile technology into its mental health services through platforms like KakaoTalk, which offers mental health self-diagnosis tools.

General social platforms Thailand

Similarly, Thailand has utilized an AI-powered tool for depression screening, and social platforms such as Line and Facebook for mental health assessments.

Step-by-Step

WHO

Provides guided mental health support for adults with depression.

The WHO has also developed a digital self-help intervention called the Step-by-Step App, which provides guided mental health support for adults with depression​. These innovations help reduce barriers to care by providing flexible, accessible, and stigma-free support options. Ref

Funding Models

Thailand

In Thailand, the Happy Workplace initiative benefits from collaborations between ThaiHealth, the government, and private organizations. The initiative’s success has been bolstered by tax incentives for companies that conduct health-promoting seminars​.

Korea

In South Korea, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are also applied to expand mental health services in rural communities by partnering with private firms to fund local programs​.

Queensland, Australia

In Queensland, the government is exploring the use of social impact bonds to drive measurable outcomes in public mental health interventions. Social impact bonds are a funding model that binds private risk capital to specific outcomes, with returns paid only if those outcomes are achieved. This approach encourages investment in mental health programs while ensuring accountability and impact.

Social Impact Bonds (SIBs)
  • Social impact bonds are a funding model that binds private risk capital to specific outcomes, with returns paid only if those outcomes are achieved.
  • This approach encourages investment in mental health programs while ensuring accountability and impact.

VicHealth, Victoria, Australia

VicHealth in Australia also utilizes a mix of government funding and leveraged private donations to support mental health research and prevention programs. These funding models enable health promotion foundations to expand their reach and continue developing innovative solutions for improving mental health.

Health Promotion Foundations and strategic partner agencies play a vital role in enhancing global mental health by expanding the capacity of mental health services, improving the capabilities of service providers, and promoting mental well-being through innovative programs. Their efforts extend beyond healthcare settings, addressing mental health challenges in workplaces and leveraging new technologies to make mental health care more accessible.

Adopting holistic approaches that address the social determinants of mental health, fostering community-led interventions, and exploring new funding models.

As the burden of mental health issues continues to grow, the work of these foundations becomes even more critical. By adopting holistic approaches that address the social determinants of mental health, fostering community-led interventions, and exploring new funding models, health promotion agencies can continue to improve mental health outcomes on a global scale.

The future of mental health care lies in collaboration, innovation, and continued investment in prevention and early intervention. Through these efforts, health promotion foundations are helping to create a world where mental health is a priority, and individuals everywhere can access the care and support they need to thrive.

References

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