World Mental Health Day is observed annually on October 10th to raise awareness about mental health issues and mobilize efforts for mental health support globally. This year's theme focuses on "psychological first aid", referring to basic pragmatic support provided by those in helping roles like healthcare workers or emergency responders to people experiencing acute distress. The WHO's 2013-2020 Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan aims to strengthen leadership and services for mental health through community-based support, promotion, prevention strategies, and improved information systems.

1. World Mental Health Day 2016

2. World Mental Health Day 2016
World Mental Health Day - 10 October

3. World Mental Health Day - 10 October

4. World Mental Health Day - 10 October
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every
year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of
mental health issues around the world and mobilizing
efforts in support of mental health.

5. World Mental Health Day - 10 October
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every
year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of
mental health issues around the world and mobilizing
efforts in support of mental health.
The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders
working on mental health issues to talk about their work,
and what more needs to be done to make mental health
care a reality for people worldwide.

6. World Mental Health Day 2016
Psychological First Aid

7. Psychological First Aid

8. Psychological First Aid
When terrible things happen in our communities, we can reach out a helping hand to
those who are affected. Perhaps you find yourself at the scene of an accident where
people are hurt. Perhaps you are a health-care worker or teacher talking with
someone from your community who has just witnessed the violent death of a loved
one. Perhaps you are called upon as a staff member in a disaster or volunteer to
help asylum seekers who have recently arrived in your community. Learning the
basic principles of psychological first aid will help you to provide support to people
who are very distressed, and, importantly, to know what not to say.

9. Psychological First Aid
When terrible things happen in our communities, we can reach out a helping hand to
those who are affected. Perhaps you find yourself at the scene of an accident where
people are hurt. Perhaps you are a health-care worker or teacher talking with
someone from your community who has just witnessed the violent death of a loved
one. Perhaps you are called upon as a staff member in a disaster or volunteer to
help asylum seekers who have recently arrived in your community. Learning the
basic principles of psychological first aid will help you to provide support to people
who are very distressed, and, importantly, to know what not to say.

10. Psychological First Aid
The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, covers
“psychological first aid”. Efforts in support of the day will focus on basic pragmatic
psychological support by people who find themselves in a helping role whether they
be health staff, teachers, firemen, community workers, or police officers.

11. Psychological First Aid
The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, covers
“psychological first aid”. Efforts in support of the day will focus on basic pragmatic
psychological support by people who find themselves in a helping role whether they
be health staff, teachers, firemen, community workers, or police officers.
Despite its name, psychological first aid covers both psychological and social
support. Just like general health care never consists of physical first aid alone,
similarly no mental health care system should consist of psychological first aid alone.
Indeed, the investment in psychological first aid is part of a longer-term effort to
ensure that anyone in acute distress due to a crisis is able to receive basic support,
and that those who need more than psychological first aid will receive additional
advanced support from health, mental health and social service

12. World Mental Health Day 2016
Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020

13. Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020

14. Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020
Dr Margaret Chan, the WHO Director-General, described
the new Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–
2020 as a landmark achievement: it focuses international
attention on a long-neglected problem and is firmly rooted
in the principles of human rights. The action plan calls for
changes. It calls for a change in the attitudes that
perpetuate stigma and discrimination that have isolated
people since ancient times, and it calls for an expansion of
services in order to promote greater efficiency in the use of
resources.

15. Comprehensive mental health action plan
2013–2020
The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan

16. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan

17. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan
1) Strengthen effective leadership and
governance for mental health.

18. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan
1) Strengthen effective leadership and
governance for mental health.
2) Provide comprehensive, integrated and
responsive mental health and social care
services in community-based settings.

19. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan
1) Strengthen effective leadership and
governance for mental health.
2) Provide comprehensive, integrated and
responsive mental health and social care
services in community-based settings.
3) Implement strategies for promotion and
prevention in mental health.

20. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan
1) Strengthen effective leadership and
governance for mental health.
2) Provide comprehensive, integrated and
responsive mental health and social care
services in community-based settings.
3) Implement strategies for promotion and
prevention in mental health.
4) Strengthen information systems,
evidence and research for mental health.

21. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan

22. The Four Major Objectives Of The Action Plan
Each of the four objectives is accompanied by
one or two specific targets, which provide the
basis for measurable collective action and
achievement by Member States towards global
goals. A set of core indicators relating to these
targets as well as other actions have been
developed and are being collected via the Mental
Health Atlas project on a periodic basis.