MY NAME IS LEONARDO CUBILLOS I'M
DIRECTOR FOR CENTER FOR GLOBAL
RESEARCH HERE AT CENTER OF
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH AND EXCITED
TO BE HERE AND FOR YOU TO JOIN
US WITH OUR RESEARCH WITHOUT
BORDERS CONFERENCE AND THANKING
THOSE JOINING THE LIVESTREAM.
NIM H AND CONVENING PARTNERS
HAVE WORKED HARD TO BRING
TOGETHER THIS CONFERENCE AND
PERSONAL NOTE OF GRATITUDE TO
NIM HH AND CONVENING PARTNERS HE
WORKED HARD TO BRING TOGETHER
THIS CONFERENCE AND PERSONAL
NOTE OF GRATITUDE TO NIMH SKON
TRACTORS AND PARTNERS THAT WORK
IN THIS COMMUNITY 12 OR 14 OR 16
MONTHS POTENTIALLY. WONDERFUL
EXPERIENCE AND PARTNERS ARE
WELCOME TRUST GRAND CHALLENGE
ANADAH AND A -- PRECISELY TO
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDERS AND
GRANT CHALLENGES, CANADA, WE
WILL USE AN APP THROUGHOUT THE
THREE DAYS OF THE CONFERENCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE AGENDA AND YOU
CAN RECEIVE LAST-MINUTE CHANGES
IN THE AGENDA IF THEY TAKE PLACE
AND FOLLOW THE LOCATION AND
THINGS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT
THE MEETING INCLUDING THE
POSSI
POSSIBILITY OF NETWORKING. IF
YOU DIDN'T DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA
WILL YOU FIND Q.R. CODES
THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE CENTER
AT NIH. SOME MIGHT HAVE ORDERED
LUNCH THROUGH FRESH FORK. YOU
WILL FIND YOUR LUNCH BOX WITH
YOUR NAMES IN THE BACK. FOR
THOSE THAT HAVEN'T, THE
CAFETERIA WILL BE OPEN AND IS IN
THE TOP FLOOR. THERE WILL BE
FOOD TRUCKS OUTSIDE WITH
VEGETARIAN AND NONVEGETARIAN
OPTIONS AND BATHROOMS ARE
DOWNSTAIRS AND OUT HERE AND I
WILL BE REMISED IF I DON'T SAY A
SPONSOR BY WELCOME TRUST TONIGHT
AFTER WE ADJOURN, WE WILL HAVE A
SOCIAL EVENT OUTSIDE OF THE NIH
CAMPUS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MINGLE AMONG OURSELVES AND
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET FUNDERS AND
NETWORK AMONG RESEARCHERS.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
I THINK WE SHOULD GET STARTED
WITH THE OFFICIAL OPENING.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE
JOSHUA GORDON, DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL
HEALTH TO KICK US OFF WITH THE
OFFICIAL CEREMONY OF THIS MENTAL
HEALTH CONFERENCE.
>> THIS WAS WORKING.
>> YEAH.
>> THERE IT GOES.
>> THANK YOU, LEO, FOR
INTRODUCING ME AND OPENING THE
CONFERENCE. I WANT TO WELCOME
THOSE HERE IN THE ROOM.
AND THOSE THAT ARE ONLINE.
TO THIS 12TH GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH WITHOUT BORDERS
CONFERENCE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR AT LEO
MENTIONED OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH, YOUR
HOSTS HERE ON THE NIH CAMPUS.
I'M JOINED ON STAGE AND IN THE
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT BY MEMBERS
OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE CO-SPONSORING,
COHOSTING THE WELL COME TRUST
GRANT CHALLENGES CANADA AND -- I
KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WORKED
TIRELESSLY TO PUT ON THIS EVENT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO THANK THEM
THROUGHOUT THE MEETING AND FOR
MY PART I WILL THANK NIMH STAFF
AND CONTRACTORS HELPING WITH
NUMEROUS TASKS INCLUDING
SECURING THIS VENUE AND SORTING
THROUGH MANY APPLICATIONS OF
SESSIONS, EXTRA IN PARTICULAR
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE TEAM AT
NIMH LED BY LEO AND COLLEEN LAU
HORN. THESE PEOPLE PUT WORK
TOGETHER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO
GET TOGETHER TODAY.
IN 2016 INHERITED WHEN I ARRIVED
AT NIMH A FANTASTIC GLOBAL
HEALTH RESEARCH PORTFOLIO. I
DIDN'T REALLY APPRECIATE THE
IMPACT OF THE PORTFOLIO UNTIL I
VISITED MANY OF THE SITES THAT
YOU ALL CONDUCT RESEARCH AT
AROUND THE GLOBE OVER THE COURSE
OF THE LAST 7 YEARS AND REMEMBER
STANDING ON A FARM IN EASTERN
KENYA WATCHING A RESEARCH
PARTICIPANT PUMP WATER INTO HER
FIELDS WITH A FOOT PUMP AND
LEARNED THAT TEACHING PEOPLE HOW
TO IRRIGATE AND EFFECTIVELY GROW
CROPS HOW THEY IMPROVE ADHERENCE
TO HIV MEDICATIONS AND MENTAL
HEALTH OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILY
AND I LEARNED IN LISTENING TO AN
INDIVIDUAL WITH PSYCHOSIS
DISCUSSING HOW THE TREATMENT
THAT THEY GOT THROUGH A WHO
DEVELOPED PROGRAM IMPROVED NOT
ONLY THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND
REDUCED HALLUCINATIONS ENABLED
TO INTEGRATE INTO THEIR FAMILY
AND GET A JOB AND GROW INTO
MANHOOD WHEN IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE
WHEN VOICES WERE FORCING HIM TO
SEPARATE FROM SOCIETY AND
LEARNED ABOUT THE RESEARCH THAT
YOU ALL CONDUCTED THAT SHOWED IT
WAS THOSE PERSONAL STORIES OF
SUCCESS THAT ENABLED AND
EMPOWERED LAY COMMUNITY HEALTH
WORKERS TO DELIVER THAT CARE AND
COULD TELL YOU LOTS MORE
STORIES. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR
STORIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
DAYS NOT JUST MINE.
I WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR AMAZING
WORK YOU ALL DO AND THANKS FOR
CONVENING HERE TODAY AND
TOMORROW TO TALK ABOUT THIS WORK
AND TO FORTH CONNECTIONS WITH
EACH OTHER THAT WILL ENABLE THAT
WORK TO REACH MORE PEOPLE
TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AROUND THE GLOBE.
THIS YEAR WE WILL FOCUS ON
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL
HEALTH. THE REASON IS THESE ARE
THE PRINCIPLE DETERMINANTS WE
NEED TO GRAPPLE WITH ON THE
GLOBAL SCALE IF WE WILL MAKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF
THOSE DEALING WITH BURDENS OF
MENTAL ILLNESS AND THEIR FAMILY
AND THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE
STEERING COMMITTEE CHOSE THIS
THEME TO SHED LIGHT ON POTENTIAL
OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS TO BECOME
THE NEW FRONTIER FOR PREVENTION
THERAPIES AND REHABILITATED
INTERVENTIONS AND IN ADDITION TO
MANY WONDERFUL KEYNOTES YOU WILL
HEAR THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE,
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PAPERS AND
POSTERS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY
RESEARCHERS AT EVERY LEVEL OF
THEIR CAREER FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD AND THROUGHOUT 7 DIFFERENT
RESEARCH TRACKS.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN THE
SPACE. WILL YOU HEAR ALL OF IT
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS AND
CONFRENS INCLUDES FOUR WORKSHOPS
ORGANIZED AND SPONSORED BY NIMH
AND PARTNERS TO PROVIDE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR OPEN DISCUSSION
ON CLIMATE CHANGE COMMON
MEASURES AND MENTAL HEALTH AND
TO PROVIDE RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS TO ASSIST EARLY
INVESTIGATORS LIKE GRANT
APPLICATIONS AND FORMULATING
QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH
DIRECTIONS.
FINALLY, THIS CONFERENCE WILL
MARK THE LAUNCH OF THE NIMH'S
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH VISTA
AWARDS THAT IS VISIONINO VATORS
SHAPING TOMORROW'S ADVANCEMENTS.
THESE AWARDS WILL RECOGNIZE
IMPORTANCE OF NURTURING CAREER
GROWTH FOSTERING INNOVATION
AMONGST RESEARCHERS IN EARLY
STAGE OF THEIR CAREERS WHO ARE
COMMITTED TO RESEARCH THAT WILL
IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH ON A
GLOBAL SCALE.
SO, IN THIS TWO-DAY VERY, VERY
PACKED CONFERENCE, I HOPE YOU
WILL HAVE TIME NOT ONLY TO
PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS BUT
THAT WILL MOVE OUR COLLECTIVE
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
FORWARD BUT TO NETWORK AND LAY
FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE
COLLABORATIONS.
WITH THAT, I WILL PASS THE MIC
TO DÉVORA KESTEL FROM THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION THAT WILL
GIVE HER OWN WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU, JOSH VERY MUCH AND
TO ORGANIZERS AND FUNDING THIS
INITIATIVE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE TODAY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
JUST A FEW WORDS FROM MY SIDE.
ON MY WAY HERE, I WAS THINKING
ABOUT THE DIFFICULT TIMES WE ARE
ALL GOING THROUGH IN THE WORLD,
AND WE MOVE FROM THE
CONSEQUENCES THAT THE PANDEMIC
HAD IN MENTAL HEALTH OF THE
POPULATION WORLDWIDE INTO ONE
NATURAL DISASTER AFTER THE OTHER
AND ONE CRISIS AFTER THE OTHER
AND ONE WAR AFTER THE OTHER AND
TALK ABOUT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
AND IF THOSE FACTORS DON'T
EFFECT MENTAL HEALTH, THEN WHAT?
SO, I WAS THINKING THAT WE KNOW
HERE IN THIS ROOM HOW EACH ONE
OF THOSE EVENTS IMPACT THEM IN
THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THOSE
DIRECTLY EFFECTED BY THOSE
SITUATIONS AND ALSO EFFECT ALL
OF US. WE ARE SAD. WE ARE
SCARED. WE ARE STRESSED. WE
ARE WORRIED.
WE ARE POWERLESS.
AND THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON MENTAL
HEALTH.
SO, ON TOP OF -- YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD A FEW TIMES ALREADY THAT
THE WORD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS IS
1 IN 8 PERSONS HAVE A MENTAL
HEALTH CONDITION.
WHILE ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE
THOSE EFFECTED BY THESE
SITUATIONS THAT -- SORRY THE
NUMBERS.
I AM A BIT MOVED THINKING ABOUT
THE PEOPLE TODAY THAT ARE GOING
THROUGH TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES.
WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS GROW IN
MENTAL HEALTH. WE NEED YOU.
THE WORLD NEEDS YOU.
THE WORLD NEEDS RESEARCH AND
KNOWLEDGE AND NEW TOOLS AND NEW
STRATEGIES AND NEW APPROACHES
THAT HAVE BEEN OVER TIME
DEVELOPED BY THOSE OF YOU HERE
IN THE ROOM ARE THOSE LIKE YOU
WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AND I WAS
THINKING I THINK IT IS AROUND 10
YEARS SINCE I CAME HERE THE
FIRST TIME TO ONE OF THE
CONFERENCES. I LEARNED A LOT.
WE USED AS MENTIONED BY JOSH
MANY KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU
DEVELOPED AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
MORE OF THAT AND TO MORE
LEARNING AND TO MORE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CAN BE
DONE TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERANCE
OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TODAY NOT
CAPABLE AND NOT ABLE AND NOT IN
A POSITION TO ACCESS MENTAL
HEALTH CARE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS -- TO
THESE TWO DAYS TO LEARN FROM YOU
AND LEAVE THIS CONFERENCE WITH
MORE IDEAS AND MORE
OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SUPPORT
THOSE EFFECTED BUT ALSO WITH
RENEWED ENERGY AND TRUST THAT WE
WILL BE ABLE TO DO MORE IN THE
IMMEDIATE FUTURE AND YEARS TO
COME.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS CHANCE.
OVER TO NICOLE.
>> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
ECHOING WHAT IS BEING SAID, I
WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO GLOBAL
MENTAL RESEARCH WITHOUT BORDER
CONFERENCE AND EXCITED WE GET TO
CONVENE IN PERSON FOR THIS
CONFERENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE 2019.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD, IT IS THE
12TH OF THIS TYPE OF CONFERENCE
WE ARE HOLDING AND HAS BEEN A
PRIVILEGE FOR GRANT CHALLENGES
CANADA TO WORK WITH NIMH ON THIS
IMPORTANT CONVENING AND THRILLED
THAT THE HOST COLLABORATIVE
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE TRUST
ALLIANCE AND WORK ALONGSIDE WHO
AND IT SPEAKS SO MUCH TO THIS
RESEARCH COMMUNITY THAT THE
DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT THAT
HAS COME FROM ALL OF THE
PARTNERS IN ENSURING THERE IS A
SPACE FOR US AS A GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO
COME TOGETHER AND TO SHARE NEW
FINDINGS AND IDEAS AND HOPEFULLY
SOW SEEDS FOR FUTURE
COLLABORATION AND CONNECT AND
ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER ONCE
MORE AND THANKS TO PARTNERS AND
STEERING COMMITTEE AND
PARTICULAR THANK YOU TO NIMH FOR
HOSTING US AND WHAT WORK GOES
BEHIND THE SCENES TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER AND APPRECIATE EFFORTS
THAT GOES INTO THIS AND BE ABLE
TO BE HERE ALL TOGETHER ONCE
MORE.
GRANT CHALLENGES KAN TA-DA WE
BELIEVE THAT FOCUSING ON MENTAL
HEALTH IS NECESSARY FOR
INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES AND NATIONS TO
THRIVE AND WHY OVER THE LAST 10
YEARS WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING AND
SUPPORTING RESEARCHINOVATION TO
ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS
ACROSS THE GLOBE. AS WE HEARD,
THESE CHALLENGES CONTINUE TO BE
PRESING NOT MORE PRESSING AND AT
GCC WE BELIEVE THAT FUNDING
THOSE WITH FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE
OF CONTEXT AND CHALLENGES WHERE
IDEAS WILL BE TESTED AND WHERE
THEIR SOLUTIONS WILL BE CARRIED
OUT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT WAY TO
SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
AND TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IDEAS
AND INNOVATIONS THAT WILL BE
RELEVANT AND THAT WILL BE
FEASIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE AND CAN
REALLY HAVE IMPACT AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO OVER THE NEXT TWO
DAYS TO GET TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
WORK YOU ARE DOING IN THESE
DIFFERENT SPACES AND WE KNOW
THAT MENTAL HEALTH KNOWS NO
GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES.
UNFORTUNATELY BURDEN OF MENTAL
ILL HEALTH CONTINUES TO LIE
DISPROPORTIONATELY WITH LOW AND
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AND
POSITIVE ACTION IN LAST FEW
YEARS REMAINS UNDERRESOURCED
AREA IN THESE CONTEXTS,
PARTICULARLY.
HOWEVER IN THIS ROOM WE KNOW
EXCITING ADVANCEMENTS AND
RESEARCH IS GOING ON.
WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO
DISCUSS SOME OF THE NEW
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD AND
LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AND WHY
IT IS PARTICULARLY EXCITING TO
SEE BREADTH OF TOPICS FROM RANGE
OF CONTEXTS THAT WILL BE COVERED
THROUGH DIFFERENT RESEARCH
TRACKS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO IT.
SO, I HOPE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE
CHANCE TO LISTEN AND ENGAGE IN
THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND CONTINUE
TO BUILD AND ADVANCE GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AGENDA
TOGETHER AND TURNING IT TO
[INDISCERNIBLE] FROM
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDER SGLZ
THANK YOU NICOLE AND GOOD
MORNING AND I'M FROM
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDERS AND
QUITE THE ACRONYM. WE REPRESENT
SOME OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST
GOVERNMENT AND PHILANTHROPIC
FUNDERS OF MENTAL HEALTH
RESEARCH AND VERY PLEASED THIS
YEAR TO BE PART OF THE
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THIS
MEETING.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING
ALL YOUR PRESENTATIONS OVER THE
NEXT TWO DAYS.
I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO SAY A
COUPLE WORDS ABOUT WHY WE ARE
PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
MEETING THAT ECHOES WHAT NICOLE
WAS REFERRING TO IN TERMS OF
BURDEN OF DISEASE AND ALSO THE
DISPROPORTIONATE FUNDING GOING
TO LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME
COUNTRIES AND MANY MIGHT BE
FAMILIAR WITH REPORTS THAT WE
PUT OUT THREE YEARS AGO NOW IN
2020 THAT LOOKED AT SOME
INEQUITIES AND FOUND THAT LESS
THAN 5% OF FUNDING FOR MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH WAS GOING TO BE
SPENT BY LOW MIDDLE INCOME
COUNTRIES AND SO I THINK THERE
IS A LOT FOR US TO DO AND THINK
ABOUT THERE. CHALLENGES ARE
IMMENSE AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO
WORKING WITH FUNDER MEMBERS AND
WITH ALL OF YOU TO TRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE BARRIERS
ARE AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO
FACILITATE WORK AND TRY TO SHIFT
SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND WE ARE
VERY EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR TALKS
IN NEXT COUPLE DAYS AND THIS
YEAR WE WILL HAVE FACE TO FACE
FUNDER CONVENING IN THE 2 DAY
CONFER
CONFERENCE.
WE WILL PICK UP ON MANY OF THE
SAME TOPICS AND WE ARE EXCITED
ABOUT THE OVERALL AGENDA AROUND
STRUCTURAL DETERMINANCE OF
MENTAL HEALTH.
WE WILL PICK UP ON THINGS LIKE
INTERSECTION OF CLIMATE AND
MENTAL HEALTH AND TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND BEYOND RESEARCH ARE
THERE THINGS FUNDERS COULD DO TO
ACTUALLY MOVE THIS WORK ALONG
AND TRY TO INCREASE IMPACT?
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL HAND
IT TO MIRANDA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DOES THIS WORK?
>> HELLO?
>> YES.
>> PERFECT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M
MIRANDA AND DIRECTOR OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND WELCOME. WE ARE A
NEW KID ON THIS BLOCK AND THANKS
FOR INCLUDING US IN THE
ORGANIZATION AND THANK YOU TO
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FANTASTIC
COLLABORATION FOR ORGANIZATIONS
HERE AND FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE,
WELCOME IS A BIG FUNDER OF ANY
SORT OF SCIENCE THAT WILL
ADVANCE HEALTH LIFE AND
WELLBEING AND TAKING MENTAL
HEALTH AS ONE OF FOUR THINGS IT
DOES WITH THE WORLD WITH
COMMITMENT TO GIVE AWAY 16
BILLION BUSHELS AND POUNDS ABOUT
I 2022 TO ADVANCE BROADER GENDER
OF WHICH MENTAL HEALTH IS PART
AND SEE THIS CONFERENCE AS A KEY
CONFERENCE FROM US TO UNDERSTAND
FROM YOU AND LEARN FROM YOU WHAT
IS EMERGING IN THE FIELD AND
WHERE WE SHOULD FOCUS FUNDING
AND THINK ABOUT FUNDING AND WE
SET OURSELVES UP A SPECIFIC
MISSION TRYING TO CREATE A
TRANSFORMATION IN EARLY
INTERVENTION FOCUSED
PARTICULARLY ON ANXIETY,
DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOSIS WITH A
VIEW WE WANT TO SEE AT LEAST ONE
NEW PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION
AND 1 NEW PHARMACOLOGICAL
INTERVENTION AND DIGITAL
INTERVENTION BY 2022 AND ARE
PREOCCUPIED BY TRYING TO MAKE
THEM GLOBALLY RELEVANT. WE WANT
TO HEAR YOU FROM WHAT YOU ARE
LAINING, DOING, AND WE CAN GAIN
FROM UNDERSTANDING AND YOUR
EXPERTISE.
I GUESS TO MENTION THIS IS A BIT
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW FROM A
SORT OF STAGE WHERE I THINK
FUNDERS ARE TRYING TO
COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE MORE
EFFECTIVELY AND HAVE A CONVENING
THIS EVENING FROM ANYONE WHO IS
WELCOME TO COME AND SOCIALIZE
AND MINGLE WHERE WE WILL TALK
MORE ABOUT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE TO YOU AND TO MENTION
THAT AS WE SAID WE SAY THIS IS
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE WE
WELCOME A CLIMATIC FORCE AND 8
OF US COMING FROM UK NOT WHAT WE
WILL DO GOING TO CONFERENCES
HAVING MAXIMUM 1 OR 2 AND WE
WANT TO MAXIMIZE ON LEARNING AND
ATTENDANCE AND BADGES I DON'T
HAVE YET AND COME TALK TO US AND
TELL US WHAT YOU ARE THINKING
AND DOING AND WE WANT TO REALLY
HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOSH.
THANK YOU JOSH AND NICOLE AND
RALIZA AND DÉVORA AND MIR AN KA
I ENVIED YOU TO LEAVE THE STAGE
AT THE MOMENT.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
THEMATIC PORTION OF DAY 1 AND
INVITING COLLEAGUE WHO WILL GET
US STARTED WITH THE FIRST
KEYNOTE OF THE DAY. THANK YOU,
HOLLY ROSEN.
>> GOOD MORNING. IT IS A
PLEASURE TO SEE YOUR FACES HERE.
MANY HAVE TRAVELED FAR TO COME
AND I MAY NOT SOUND IT BUT I'M
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE
CONFERENCE AND ABOUT OUR
UPCOMING KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
I AM -- AS DR. KUBIA MENTIONED
I'M HOLLY CAMPBELL-ROSEN AT NIMH
AND FUNCTION AS A PROGRAM
OFFICER THERE.
AS SOME -- FOLLOWING UP ON THE
CONVERSATION ON STAGE A MOMENT
AGO, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ALL
KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND
MENTAL HEALTH ARE TWO OF THE
MOST PRESSING THREATS TO
COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS
GLOBALLY.
THE STUDY OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN
MENTAL HEALTH IS NEW AND YET IT
IS VERY -- IT IS GROWING AND
MANY ARE WORKING ON IT.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO ADD THAT
THE CENTER FOR GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH IS INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE'S
ROLE IN MENTAL HEALTH AND
INTERVENING WITH POPULATIONS,
COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN
CRISIS SETTINGS.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING OR
HEARING OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER IN
THE SPRING. I WAS AMAZED BY HER
COMMITMENT TO HER COMMUNITY AND
PASSION FOR HER WORK AND KNOW
THAT WE ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT
THIS MORNING.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO HAVE HER
HERE TODAY.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR. BEATRICE EK
ESIA WORKED ON LINKAGES OF
AGROFOOD SYSTEMS WITH DIETARY
DIVERSITY AND NUTRITION OUTCOMES
IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS VIETNAM
SOLOMON ISLANDS TONGA AND MANY
AREAS IN AFRICA AND HOLDS A PHD
IN NUTRITION AND MASTERS IN
SCIENCE COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND
DEVELOPMENT AND 16 YEARS WORKS
AT NEXUS OF NUTRITION, CLIMATE
CHANGE A AG/* AND
AGROBIODIVERSITY. DR. EKESA
WILL PRESENT THE NEXUS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE, AGROBIODIVERSITY
AND NUTRITION: IMPLICATIONS ON
MENTAL HEALTH.
PLEASE WELCOME DR. EKESA.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK YOU, HOLLY FOR THE
GREAT INTRODUCTION. HONOR TO BE
HERE WITH YOU AND THANKS FOR
FINDING TIME TO COME AND BE IN
THIS CONFERENCE.
I'M SURE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS
YOU WILL LEARN SO MUCH FROM EACH
OTHER.
SO, WHEN I WAS COMING, IT TOOK
ME MORE THAN 20 HOURS TO GET
HERE. I COME FROM KENYA. AS I
WAS ON THE FLIGHT, I WAS
THINKING ABOUT MY SMALL VILLAGE
IN WESTERN KENYA.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN THE NORM FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS.
THEY SAY IN EVERY SMALL MARKET
IN THE VILLAGE AT LEAST ONE
PERSON IS EXPERIENCING SOME
MENTAL DISORDER.
THIS IS WHEN IT IS IN ADVANCED
STAGES.
WHAT GOT ME THINKING IS IF THERE
IS ONLY ONE PERSON, AT LEAST ONE
PERSON IN THE MARKET REALLY
MANIFESTING THIS, HOW MANY
PEOPLE DO WE HAVE IN HOUSEHOLDS?
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE IN
THE VILLAGES?
WHOSE CASES ARE NOT REPORTED OR
DOCUMENTED AND ARE NOT RECEIVING
ANY INTERVENTION?
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS IS A
CHALLENGE THAT IS CUTTING ACROSS
BORDERS AND MOST OF THE CASES
ARE ACTUALLY NOT BEING SUPPORTED
THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
SUPPORTED.
SO, BACK TO MY TOPIC.
I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE
NEXUS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND
AGROBIODIVERSITY AND NUTRITION
AND LOOKING AT WHAT IMPLICATIONS
ARE WHEN YOU COME TO MENTAL
HEALTH.
AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING ON
WHAT KEY CONCEPTS ARE AND WHAT
IS CLIMATE CHANGE AND
AGROBIODIVERSITY AND WHAT IS
NUTRITION AND HOW DOES IT ALL
COME TOGETHER TO INFLUENCE THE
END RESULT THAT YOU ARE LOOKING
AT MENTAL HEALTH?
I WILL THEN TRY TO GIVE YOU JUST
A SNAPSHOT WHAT WE ARE DOING
FROM THE SPACE THAT I SEE
TOGETHER WITH OTHER SCIENTISTS
AND FINALLY I WILL LIST THINGS I
THINK WE CAN DO TOGETHER TO MAKE
SURE WE MAKE EFFORT IN
ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE.
SO, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER
OF EXPERTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
HERE. THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON FOR SOME TIME
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE, THEY ARE LONG-TIME
SHIFTS IN TEMPERATURES AND
WEATHER PATTERNS AND ARE JUST
THE BEGINNING OF A LOT OF THINGS
THAT ARE HAPPENING ON OUR APP.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
AGROBIODIVERSITY, THIS IS THE
VARIABILITY AND VARIETY OF
ANIMALS, PLANTS AND
MICROORGANISMS THAT REALLY
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FOOD IN
AGRICULTURE.
SO, WHETHER IT IS THE FOOD YOU
ARE EATING OR SOMETHING THAT LED
TO THAT FOOD GETTING ON THE
TABLE, THAT IS WHAT BRINGS ABOUT
AGROBIODIVERSITY.
NUTRITION, THIS IS MY AREA OF
EXPERTISE.
IT IS BASICALLY THE INTERACTION
BETWEEN WHAT YOU CONSIDER AS
FOOD AND YOUR BODY.
SO, WHETHER YOU ARE DRINKING
THAT JUICE OR EATING THAT APPLE,
HOW THAT APPLE INTERACTS WITH
YOUR BODY, THAT IS WHAT WE END
UP TERMING AS NUTRITION.
THAT INTERACTION CAN EITHER LEAD
TO MALNUTRITION THAT IS THE
OVERNUTRITION AND UNDERNUTRITION
AND ARE THINGS WE ARE SEEING IN
COMMUNITIES WE ARE WORKING WITH.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MENTAL
HEALTH.
I DIDN'T WANT TO DEFINE THIS. I
KNOW WE HAVE EXPERTS HERE WHO
HAVE GREATEST DEFINITIONS FOR
MENTAL HEALTH.
WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT LITERATURE
THAT I COULD FIND, THIS IS WHAT
CAME THROUGH.
STATE OF EMOTIONAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING IN WHICH
AN INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO USE HIS
OR HER COGNITIVE EMOTIONAL
CAPABILITIES FUNCTION IN SOCIETY
AND MEET THE ORDINARY DEMANDS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE. WE WILL TALK
ABOUT THIS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS
AND WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON THIS
SPEECH AND MENTION THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS ABOUT LONG-TERM
EFFECTS IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURE
AND WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WE
KNOW THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE
ICEBERG. THE APP IS A SYSTEM.
IN A SYSTEM, EVERYTHING IS
CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING.
SO, WHEN YOU END UP HAVING AN
INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE, IT
LEADS TO SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
ONE OF OUR OPENING PERSON THAT
WAS TALKING ABOUT OPENING
CEREMONY TALKED ABOUT EASTERN
KENYA AND IT LEADS TO DROUGHT
WHEREBY PEOPLE CAN'T BE ABLE TO
ACCESS WATER THAT THEY NEED.
IT LEADS TO FLOODING. YOU KNOW,
THERE IS DROUGHT AND FLOODING
SUCH THAT AS AN AREA HAS BEEN SO
DRY, WHEN RAINS COME THEY COME
IN VOLUMES.
EVERYTHING IS SWEPT AWAY AND
LEADS TO SOME FIRES WE ARE
TRYING TO MANAGE ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
IT LEADS TO THE INTERFERING OF
THE ECOSYSTEMS AND WE END UP
HAVING INVASIVE SPECIES THAT END
UP SPOILING OUR ECOSYSTEMS
EFFECTING OUR FOOD SYSTEMS AND
HOW DOES IT TRANSLATE TO
AGROBIODIVERSITY?
IT ENDS UP DESTROYING THE
DIVERSITY OF THE PLANTS AND
ANIMALS AND ORGANISMS THAT
SUPPORT OUR FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE.
WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT NORMALLY
AN OPTIMAL AGROBIODIVERSITY
SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE US WITH
DIVERSE BASKET OF NUTRITIOUS
FOOD AND REDUCE NEED FOR
EXTERNAL INPUTS AND USE OF
CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND IF
NUTRIENT, NUTRIENT RECYCLING IN
SOIL AND AIR AND YOU FIND PLANTS
CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND
AGROBIODIVERSITY IS LOST, WE END
UP HAVING TO INJECT A LOT OF
CHEMICALS INTO OUR SOIL AND
FOODS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MEET
THE YIELD THAT WE WANT.
IF THERE IS OPTIMAL
AGROBIODIVERSITY, THERE IS
REDUCED PESTS AND DISEASES.
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ARE ABLE TO
SUPPORT EACH OTHER OPTIMALLY AND
IT DUE TO SOME EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU FIND
REDUCTION IN WHAT IS IN THE
ECOSYSTEM ENDS INFLUENCING THE
DIVERSITY OF FOOD WE CAN ACCESS.
WHAT I HAVE ON THE RIGHT THERE
IS A SNAPSHOT OF VARIETY OF
VEGETABLES THAT USED TO BE
CONSUMED IN THE USA AND USED TO
BE AVAILABLE HERE AND THE UPPER
PART BEGS GREAT DIVERSITY AND 80
YEARS AFTER THAT, WHAT IS AT THE
BOTTOM IS NOW WHAT WE ARE ABLE
TO ACCESS EASILY.
SO, THESE END UP REALLY
[INDISCERNIBLE] WHAT WE CAN DO
AND CONSUME AND ACCESS AS HUMAN
BEINGS TRYING TO MANAGE AND
SURVIVE IN THIS APP THAT WE HAVE
AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU A FEW
FIGURES COMING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
AND OTHER RELATED THREATS THAT
ARE SHEDDED WITH BIODIVERSITY
AND MENTIONED BEFORE IT IS NOT
SOMETHING YOU CAN SAY JUST
EFFECTS EUROPE, THE AMERICA, OR
AFRICA. IT IS ACTUALLY
EFFECTING EVERYBODY AROUND THE
GLOBE. IN SOME CASES YOU FIND
[INDISCERNIBLE] THAT LIST
CONTRIBUTORS TO CLIMATE CHANGE
ARE ONES SUFFERING A LOT. THAT
IS NOT THE POINT. WHAT YOU ARE
LOOKING AT, WE HAVE THESE
PROBLEMS.
HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?
FIRST, YOU CAN SEE THE UPPER
GRAPH.
THIS IS A POINTER. YES.
SO, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT AN
ASPECT LIKE CHANGE IN
TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
AND PESTS AND DISEASES SEEM TO
EFFECT AFRICA, ASIA, EUROPE
LATIN AMERICA NORTHEAST AND
PACIFIC AND SEEMS TO BE GREAT
CONTRIBUTOR TO REDUCE
BIODIVERSITY AND ANOTHER ASPECT
DISEASE CHANGES IN PRECIPITATION
AND PESTS AND DISEASES AND ARE
SOME KEY CONTRIBUTORS TO LOSS IN
AGROBIODIVERSITY.
IF WE GO TO THE BOTTOM HERE,
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE ADVERSELY
EFFECTED?
SO, YOU SEE OUR CROPPING SYSTEMS
ARE LARGELY EFFECTED.
WE RELY ON OUR CROPPING SYSTEMS
TO GIVE US FOOD THAT KEEPS US
ALIVE. FORESTRY SYSTEMS,
PROTECT THE WATER AND END UP
SUPPORTING RAIN SYSTEMS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT AND WE OBTAIN
SOME FOOD ITEMS FROM FORESTRY.
THESE ARE SIFT -- SYSTEMS
EFFECTED AND LIVESTOCK AND
BALANCING THEIR DIET AND
LIVESTOCK IS EFFECTED YOU FIND
WELLBEING IS ALSO INFLUENCED
NEGATIVELY AND OTHER THINGS THAT
YOU ARE SEEING THERE.
I WENT AHEAD TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE
SOME EVENTS THAT ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECTING
AGROBIODIVERSITY?
WHAT YOU SEE IS DROUGHT AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] THAT TWO
COUNTRIES REPORT THIS AS A MEGA
THING AND TWO COUNTRIES AND
WHOLE REPORT LOOKED AT 91
COUNTRIES AND WE HAVE SO MANY
COUNTRIES MISSED IN THIS REPORT
AND IS A SNAPSHOT AND THERE IS A
LOT THAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE
THAT IS NOT BEING REPORTED.
WE HAVE FLOODS, FIRES,
POLLUTION, EPIDEMICS, PESTS AND
DISEASES AND OCCURRENCE OF
DISEASES NOT THERE BEFORE. WHY?
CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES AND SOME
VIRUSES ARE ABLE TO THRIVE
BETTER BECAUSE OF CHANGE IN
TEMPERATURES WE ARE SXERIENCING
AND PESTS THAT ARE NOW EFFECTING
CROPS.
WHY? BECAUSE OF CHANGES OF
TEMPERATURES WE ARE NOW
EXPERIENCING.
WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS
REDUCED YIELD IN PRODUCTION AND
HIGH LEVEL INSECURITY AND HIGH
UNCERTAINTY AND OTHER
CONSEQUENCES I WILL BE
MENTIONING.
SO, WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING
IS YOU FIND NIEND% OF HUMANITY
IS DERIVING ENERGY INTAKE FROM
15 FOOD CROPS. YOU CAN IMAGINE
15 FOOD CROPS WORLDWIDE
PROVIDING 90% OF ENERGY NEEDS
AND WHAT HAPPENS TO MILLIONS AND
MILLIONS OF SPECIES THERE THAT
WILL SUPPORT DIVERSE FOOD
SYSTEMS?
MORE THAN 4 BILLION PEOPLE RELY
ON RICE, WHEAT AND MAZE THAT
ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF OF
WORLD'S [INDISCERNIBLE] ENERGY
FOOD SUPPLY. WHAT HAS HAPPENED
IS WE ARE ALL CONSUMING SIMILAR
DIETS AND SOME FOODS SOME HAVE
NEVER HEARD OF WHEN GROWING UP
LIKE MACARONI AND CHEESE.
NOWADAYS, YOU GO TO NAIROBI.
YOU CAN ORDER MACARONI AND
CHEESE. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
WE USED TO HAVE OUR INDIGENOUS
FOODS AND WHEATS AND MILLETS AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] YOU WOULD
CONSUME AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO
COME TO US AND EAT MACARONI AND
CHEESE BUT NOW CAN GET IT AT
HOME. WHAT IS THIS LEADING TO?
WE ARE CONSUMING SIMILAR DIETS
AND THEREFORE HAVING SIMILAR
HEALTH PROBLEMS .
WE HAVE COUNTRIES WHO ARE
SUFFERING FROM UNDERNUTRITION
NOW SUFFERING FROM OVERNUTRITION
AND WHEN HAVING SAME SIMILAR
HEALTH PROBLEMS, RESILIENT IS
NOT STRENGTHENED ENOUGH.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE HEADING.
IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO NO
THE TO GET TO THE EXTREME?
>> SO, INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF
STAR CHI AND ULTRAPROCESSED
FOODS AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
RICE AND WHEATS AND MAZE WE HAVE
COMPANIES COMING WITH RANGE OF
FOODS WHICH YOU CAN GET 1,000
PRODUCTS FROM WHEAT AND WE HAVE
RICE AND FROM THAT YOU CAN GET
HUNDREDS OF PRODUCTS FROM THE
RICE AND ULTRA PROCESSED. THAT
IS WHAT MOST OF US ARE EATING.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EAT THESE
FOOD SNZ.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE
CONSUMPTION OF THE STAR
CHI-BASED ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
CONTRIBUTE TO DEPRESSION AND
ANXIETY GREATLY. IMAGINE
PROPORTION 40 BILLION I RELIED
ON THESE FOODS WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT THE [INDISCERNIBLE] OR
CHALLENGES OF MENTAL HEALTH THAT
COULD BE OUT THERE. IF WE
CONSUMED WHOLE FOOD AND FRUIT
AND VEGETABLES, MORE OF US WOULD
BE HEALTHIER BOTH PHYSICALLY AND
MENTALLY AND IS WHAT I'M TRYING
TO EMPHASIZE HERE.
SO, THEN THERE IS ALSO
MALNUTRITION.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT MALNUTRITION
I'M TALKING ABOUT UNDER AND OVER
NUTRITION AND FOUND THERE HAS
ALSO BEEN DOCUMENTATION THAT
PEOPLE OR INDIVIDUALS THAT TEND
TO BE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY
HAVE HIGHER CHANCES GETTING
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.
WHY ARE WE GETTING THAT?
SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO AVOID
GETTING TO THIS LEVEL AND
TALKING ABOUT UNDERNUTRITION AND
ANOTHER CHALLENGE AND IMAGINE A
MOTHER THAT IS EXPECTANT NOT
ABLE TO ACCESS NUTRIENTS SHE
NEEDS AND ENDS UP HAVING A CHILD
WHO IS ALSO UNDERNOURISHED AND
DISADVANTAGED MOSTLY BOTH
MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
THERE IS NUTRIENTS VERY, VERY
KEY WHEN COMING TO MENTAL
DEVELOPMENT.
OTHER CONSEQUENCES LEAVING FOOD
ON THE TABLE AND EATING IT.
I TALKED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
LEADING TO INVASIVE SPECIES AND
IN 2020 A FORM OF LOEK YUFTS
DESTROYED MORE THAN 170 THOUSAND
ACRES OF CROPS IN UGANDA AND I'M
[INDISCERNIBLE] IN UGANDA I COME
FROM KENYA BUT SIT IN UGANDA.
PEOPLE GROW CROPS AND EXPECT TO
HARVEST AND THIS SWARM OF
LOCUSTS CAME AND DESTROYED A BIG
CHUNK OF LAND.
WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS TO THE
FARMER WHO INVESTED SO MUCH IN
THIS AGRICULTURE?
WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS TO
HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE EXPECTING TO
GET FOOD AND CONSUME THIS?
NORMALLY IF ANYONE IS FROM
UGANDA THEY WILL TELL YOU WE
HAVE A KIND OF LOCUST WE CALL A
GRASSHOPPER THAT COMES AROUND
NOVEMBER IT IS A DELLIC KASCY
AND EATEN AS PART OF THE FOOD
AND HARVEST AND PREPARE NICELY
AND IT IS EATEN. A DIFFERENT
KIND OF LOCUST CAME AND
DESTROYED IT WAS VERY DISTURBING
NORMAL LOCUST THAT SUPPLIES FOOD
THERE IS INVASIVE SPECIES OF
SAME KIND THAT COMES AND SPOILS
ALL YOUR FOOD. WASN'T A GOOD
EXPERIENCE.
IN KENYA WE HAVE THE
[INDISCERNIBLE] THAT JOYED
FARMERS CROPS AND MAIZE A BASIC
-- SOME FARMERS ENDED UP
COMMITTING SUICIDE. YOU PUT
EVERYTHING HERE AND ONE OR TWO
DAYS EVERYTHING IS DESTROYED.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE AND THIRDLY WE HAVE WATER
HYACINTH IN EAST AFRICA WE HAVE
LAKE VICTORIA ONE OF THE LARGEST
FRESH WATER LAKES. IT IS SHARED
AND IT IS A GREAT WATER BODY
THAT SUPPLIES GOOD FISH FOR
REGION WHEN WATER HYACINTHS
INHABITED THAT THIS SAY LAIC
THAT IS CLEAR ALL THE TIME.
THEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS A
GARDEN WITH LEAFY VEGETABLES OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT IS
HYACINTH. WHEN IT HAPPENED IT
COVERED ALL TOP LAYER OF LAKE
AND WHAT HAPPENS TO FISH IS
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OXYGEN IN
WATER AND FISH WON'T REPRODUCE
AND GIVE THE VOLUME IT IS
SUPPOSED TO GIVE. WHAT HAPPENS
TO FARMER WHO'S ARE LOOKING FOR
FISH?
YOU DON'T GET THE VERB THAT YOU
NEED YOU CAN'T SELL THE FISH AND
THEREFORE YOUR LIVELIHOOD IS
GREATLY EFFECTED AND PEOPLE
DEPENDING ON FISH ITEM YOU LOSE
ON ANIMAL RESOURCE OF FOOD YOU
RELIED ON AND WE HAVE AREAS LIKE
SOLOMON ISLAND I WALK SOMETIMES.
I WAS THERE A FEW -- I THINK IN
SEPTEMBER. THIS IS A COMMUNITY
THAT EXPECTS CYCLONES TO HAPPEN
EVERY TIME.
IT MEANS YOU CAN'T INVEST IN
BUILDING A PERMANENT HOUSE FOR
YOURSELF AND MEANS YOU INVEST IN
LONG-TIME FOOD PRODUCTION. YOU
KNOW AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR
EVERYTHING WILL BE SWEPT AWAY.
IT MAKES PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A LOT
OF UNCERTAINTY.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE
UNCERTAIN?
IT DISTURBS YOU PSYCHOLOGICALLY.
YOU CAN'T BE ABLE TO FUNCTION
100%.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.
WE ALSO HAVE CASES LIKE DROUGHT
THAT END UP DESTROYING ALL OF
THE CATTLE.
FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT RELY ON THAT
AND WE HAVE CASES LIKE THE
SWELLING OF THE LAKES AND IS ONE
OF THE ISLANDS IN KENYA THAT
NORMALLY HAS GOODLAND. BECAUSE
OF THE WATER BODIES, LAKE
VICTORIA EXPANDING IN SIZE. SO
MUCH RAIN AND RIVERS FEEDING
INTO LAKE LED TO LOTS OF WATER
AND HOUSEHOLDS GET DESTROYED.
PEOPLE HAVE TO START ALL OVER
AGAIN AND STRESSES THAT
INFLUENCE MENTAL HEALTH
WELLBEING AND THUS INFLUENCING
HOW TO PERFORM DAY-TO-DAY TASKS
AND WHEN YOU SAY CLIMATE CHANGE
HAS INFERENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH,
IT IS OUT THERE. WE SEE IT ALL
THE TIME.
HERE, I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER HOW
THIS STORY FITS INTO ONE ANOTHER
AND YOU SEE AGROBODY CLIMATE
CHANGE THAT ARE FROM OUR VICIOUS
CYCLE THAT LEADS TO ALTERED FOOD
PRODUCTION AND ALTERED CHEMICAL
SYSTEM REDUCE WATER QUALITY AND
INCREASE TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND
[INDISCERNIBLE].
THIS RESULTS IN CONSUMPTION OF
POOR DIETS AND INCREASED
FREQUENCY AND VULNERABILITY IN
EXISTING DISEASES AND NEW PESTS
AND DISEASES FOR [INDISCERNIBLE]
YOU IMAGINE WHEN DISPLACED YOU
WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL EAT
AND [INDISCERNIBLE] WILL YOU
HAVE AND EVEN CLOTHING THAT
CREATES LOTS OF ANXIETY THAT
SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE. END
RESULT IS REDUCTION IN PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL HEALTH.
IT ENDS UP CONTRIBUTING TO
UNDERNUTRITION AND OVERWEIGHT
AND OBESITY.
SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING? FROM
WHERE I SIT -- AND HOW THIS CAN
FEED INTO PROPER FOOD SECURITY
AND WE HAVE DONE FROM WHERE WE
SEE IS EVIDENCE BUILDING TO
INFORM PUBLIC POLICIES AND
REALLY BRINGING NEXUS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE AND AGROBIODIVERSITY AND
BRINGING THAT EVIDENCE SO THIS
INFORMATION COULD BE SHARED WITH
POLICYMAKERS AND ABLE TO COME UP
WITH FOOD COMPOSITION TABLES AND
SEASONAL FOOD CALENDARS. WHY DO
WE DO THIS?
TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT
THEY CAN ACCESS AND HOW IT CAN
BE USED. IF PEOPLE KNOW VALUE
OF WHAT THEY USE THEY ARE ABLE
TO MAKE MORE EFFORT TO CONSERVE
IT AND UTILIZE IT. THAT IS
REDUCING POSSIBILITY OF
EXTENSION IN LOSS.
WE HAVE DONE LOTS OF THAT IN
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES.
KENYA, SOLOMON ISLANDS AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND DEVELOPED
MONTH N TORING TOOLS THAT ARE
MONITORING AGROBIODIVERSITY AND
GO TO POLICY MAKERS AND ASK YOU
HOW MUCH IS LOST ACTUALLY AND
YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE DATA.
HAVING THIS AT TIP OF HAND HELPS
A LOT AND WE CREATING FOOD
ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE WORK WITH
GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH
NATIONAL POLICIES ON
AGROBIODIVERSITY ANSERVATION.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH COMMUNITIES
TO HELP THEM DIVERSIFY FARMING
SYSTEMS AND TELL THEM YOU DON'T
HAVE TO JUST GROW MAIZE AND RICE
CAN WE WORK TOGETHER MAKE SURE
YOU CAN GROW FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES AND GROW SODIUM AND
MILLET. WHEN THESE ARE GROWN
TOGETHER SYSTEM IS STRENGTHENED
AND RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE
ISSUES.
WHAT IS ALSO VERY, VERY GOOD IN
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE HAVE
DEVELOPED GENE BANKS AND GROUP
OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH HAS
OVER 12 GENE BANKS ALL OVER THE
WORLD THAT IS A BIODIVERSITY
REPOSITORY THAT IS HOLDING
VARIETIES OF BINS, FORAGE,
SODIUM, BAN AN GNAW, CASAVA WHAT
AM I FORGETTING A NUMBER OF KEY
FOOD CROPS THAT SUPPORT OUR FOOD
SYSTEM AND DIFFERENT SPECIES OF
FOOD CROPS ARE STORED IN THIS
GENE BANK TO BE USED BY
RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS AND
TO BE USED BY FARMERS WHENEVER
THEY ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE
THAT OUR FOOD SYSTEMS DO NOT END
UP BEING ADVERSELY THREATENED.
WE GET WHEREBY WE WANT MILLET
AND NO WAY WE CAN GET IT.
WE HAVE BIODIVERSITY
REPOSITORIES OUT THERE THAT CAN
ALWAYS BE PUT INTO USE TO MAKE
SURE THAT DIVERSITY DOESN'T GET
LOST FOREVER.
WE ALSO HAVE GONE AHEAD TO WORK
WITH COMMUNITIES TO SET UP
COMMUNITY SEED BANKS.
WE HAVE SOME VARIETIES THAT ARE
VERY DEAR TO LOCAL FARMERS AND
WE HAVE THEM IN NEPAL AND UGANDA
AND KENYA AND MALOWIE AND SOUTH
AFRICA. WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS
FARMERS IDENTIFY SPECIES THEY
HAVE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES
AND BRING SAMPLES TO THE GROUP
THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH.
THESE SAMPLES ARE STORED THERE.
WHEN IT COMES TO A PLANTING
SEASONS, FARMERS ARE ABLE TO
BORROW SEEDS AND PLANT THEM AND
WHEN THEY COME BACK THEY BRING A
HALF A KILO MORE THAN WHAT THEY
BORROWED FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
YOU CAN'T KEEP SEEDS IN BANK
FOREVER AND FARMERS BORROW AND
BRING BACK AND WE HAVE FRESH
SEEDS FOR NEXT SEASON THAT GIVES
FARMERS LOTS OF AGENCY.
WE DON'T NEED SMALL FARMERS
LOOKING FOR [INDISCERNIBLE] AND
LOOKING FOR MONSANTO TO GET IT.
THERE IS LOTS OF PROTOCOL. THEY
CAN WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND
ACCESS PLANTING MATERIAL AND
FARMERS LIKE MATERIAL THEY CAN
PLANT, HARVEST, SEED AND USE
SEED TO PLANT AGAIN. THEY FEEL
MORE SUSTAINED IN SUCH A
PROGRAM.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PROMOTING
WHEN WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO
SET UP COMMUNITY SEED BANKS WAND
HE CAME UP WITH A MECHANISM THAT
LEADS COMMUNITY SEED BANK TO THE
NATIONAL GENE BANKS SUCH THAT
THE NATIONAL BANKS HAVE A SAMPLE
WHAT IS BEING STORED IN THE
COMMUNITY SEED BANKS THAT MAKES
FARMERS MORE EMPOWERED TO REALLY
MANAGE THEIR OWN SYSTEMS.
WE HAVE ALSO DONE CAPACITY
BUILDING AND AWARENESS CREATION
AND WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY AND
DIFFERENT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN
HELP.
THEN AS I SAID, WE ARE CONSUMING
SIMILAR FOODS AND WE ARE
FORGETTING SOME INDIGENOUS
VARIETIES WE HAD. WE ARE DOING,
WE SET UP BIODIVERSITY FAIRS.
FARMERS ARE INVITED TO SHOWCASE
DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF FOODS
THEY HAVE. AND TALK ABOUT THEM
AND THE VALUE AND TALK ABOUT
ASSOCIATES AND EVERYTHING THAT
THEY LEAVE WITH THESE PARTICULAR
CROPS THAT MAKES COMMUNITY
MEMBERS APPRECIATE.
THAT THIS TRAJECTORY WORKING ON
MAIZE WHEAT AND RICE CAN BE
STOPPED AND WE HOST EVENTS
CALLED CELEBRITY CHEFS TO BUILD
RECIPES BASED ON INDIGENOUS
FOODS SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU CAN'T GET JUST GOOD
FOOD FROM EXOTIC VARIETIES. YOU
CAN GET VERY GOOD FOOD FROM SOME
INDIGENOUS SPECIES THAT WE HAVE.
LASTLY, WHAT DO I THINK WE CAN
DO BETTER?
SEATED HERE FOR THE NEXT TWO
DAYS WE WILL TALK ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH AND HOW IT IS
[INDISCERNIBLE] BY OTHER SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS AND WHAT I THINK
THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
WHAT I THINK IS THAT SPECIALISTS
IN [INDISCERNIBLE] AND HAVE
[INDISCERNIBLE] HERE WE SHOULD
WORK TOGETHER WITH SOCIAL
SCIENTISTS WHO ENSURE
INTERVENTIONS ON LIVELIHOODS ARE
ABLE TO ASSESS AND IN ALL
DIMENSIONS OF WELLBEING AND I
HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH FOR
MORE THAN 20IERS NOW.
WHEN WE GO TO COMMUNITIES AND
WANT TO WORK WITH THEM, WHAT WE
[INDISCERNIBLE] IS WHAT ARE THEY
GROWING?
WHAT ARE THEY EATING?
WHAT ARE THEY ABSTAINING FROM
NATURAL SOURCES?
WHAT IS THEIR NUTRITIONAL
STATUS?
AND WE MOVE FORWARD. AT THE
INTERVENTION WE GIVE INPUT AND
ASSESS SAME THINGS AND NO ONE
LOOKS AT -- WE DON'T LOOK AT
WHAT IS THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING?
WE DON'T KNOW INDICATORS THAT
ARE THERE. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW
YOU WOULD MEASURE SOMEONE'S
MENTAL WELLBEING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD
BE GLAD TO HAVE.
SO, THAT WHEN WE ARE WORKING
WITH COMMUNITIES WE ARE ABLE TO
ASSESS THE WHOLE WELLBEING AND
WE CAN MEASURE WHAT HAS CHANGED
IN TERMS OF OVERALL WELLBEING.
YOUR MENTAL STATUS INFLUENCES
HOW YOU USE RESOURCES THAT YOU
HAVE.
SO, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE WOULD REALLY BE GLAD TO
INCORPORATE IN OUR WORK AND
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND WORK
WITH EXPERTS THAT ARE HERE AS WE
MOVE FORWARD.
AS I'M SAYING, WE NEED SUPPORT
TO EVALUATE IMPACT OF PROGRAMS
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY
INTERVENTION AND POLICY CHANGES
AND NEED SUPPORT TO INVESTIGATE
HOW CULTURE AND REGIONAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE BETWEEN FOOD SECURITY
AND MENTAL HEALTH AND EXAMPLE IN
THIS MOST COMMUNITIES WE WORK IN
WE HAVE WOMEN GROUPS AND YOUTH
GROUPS AND WOMEN GROUPS ARE
FORMED TO HELP WOMEN BE ABLE TO
FUNCTION PROPERLY.
YOU USE THIS FORUM TO SHARE
CHALLENGES, PROBLEMS AND WORK SO
WHEN YOU COME BACK TO YOUR HOUSE
YOU FEEL A LITTLE BETTER AND
RELIEVED.
WHO IS REALLY ASSESSING TO SEE
WHETHER AFFILIATION TO ANY
SOCIAL GROUP MAKES YOU DO BETTER
AS A PERSON?
WE ARE NOT DOING THAT.
THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN WORK
ON.
LASTLY, I WAS COMING ACROSS
POLICIES AND I WAS READING WHAT
ARE POLICIES THAT ARE THERE?
I SAW A NUMBER OF POLICIES ON
FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD SYSTEM
AND I THEN WAS NOT ABLE TO
PUBLICLY ASSESS ANY POLICIES IN
SOME COUNTRIES WORKING THAT ARE
RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH. THEY
COULD BE THERE AND SOME ARE NOT
ABLE TO ACCESS.
CAN WE WORK ON ENSURING THAT
POLICIES AND THAT REALLY SUPPORT
MENTAL HEALTH ARE OUT THERE AND
THEY ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AS
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE?
WITH THAT SAID, I LOOK FORWARD
TO LEARNING SO MUCH FROM YOU. I
LOOK FORWARD TO INTERACTING WITH
YOU SO MUCH AND HOPE YOU HAVE
NEW AREAS OF RESEARCH AS WE MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK YOU, DR. EKESA FOR A
WONDERFUL KEYNOTE NECK UP IS
NIC
NICOLE BARDIKOFF TO SET US UP
WITH A PLENARY SESSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, HOLLY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY ENGAGING
AND ENLIGHTENING KEYNOTE
BRINGING TO LIGHT FOR US REAL
WORLD IMPACTS OF INTERSECTION OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH AND IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE THE FIRST PLENARY
SESSION TODAY FOCUSED ON
DECOLONIZING GLOBAL MENTAL
RESEARCH THAT IS A TOPIC
CHALLENGING US TO CONFRONT THE
HISTORICAL BIASES AND POWER
DYNAMICS AND CULTURAL PREJUDICES
IMBEDDED IN OUR FIELD AND
EXPLORE HOW WE CAN EXAMINE
EXISTING PARADIGMS AND RESHAPE
METHODOLOGIES AND APPROACHES
TOGETHER AND SEEKING TO HUMANIZE
RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCHES
CONDUCTED ABOUT MOTIVATIONS AND
REFLECTIONS AND POWER HOW MENTAL
HEALTH CAN OPERATE IN GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AND
COMING UP IN CHALLENGE TODAY
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE ABLE
TO CONVENE IN A COMMUNITY IN
SPACES OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO
EVERYBODY WE RECOGNIZE THEY ARE
CHALLENGES THAT IMPACTED SOME
INDIVIDUALS ABILITIES TO ATTEND
TODAY AND PLENARY IS CO-CHAIRED
BY SHURANJEET SING WHO IS A
NON-PROFIT FOUNDER ALONGSIDE TOM
OSBORN WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT
DEVELOPS AND SCALES MENTAL
HEALTH CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA. THEY WILL
HAVE A DISCUSSION YOU WILL LEARN
ABOUT THEM AND DISCUSSION WITH
INSPIRING PANELISTS BRINGING
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO BARE ON
THIS TOPIC AND SESSION WILL
SUPPORT REFLECTING ON WHAT IS
MEANT BY DE-COLONIZATION AND
HELP PROVIDE A LENS WE CAN
CONSIDER AND CRITICALLY REFLECT
ON ALL OF THIS THAT WE ARE
HEARING ABOUT OVER THE NEXT FEW
DAYS AND HONOR TO WELCOME OUR
CO-CHAIRS SHURANJEET AND TOM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> >> TOM, WANT TO PLAY SOME
MUSIC? HE.
>> WE ARE GOOD TO GO. GOOD
MORNING AND WELCOME TO PEERS
AROUND THE WORLD AND WELCOME TO
THE FIRST PLENARY SESSION
HUMANIZING RESEARCH AND
RESEARCHERS: A CONVERSATION ON
DECOLONIZING GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH I'M SHURANJEET
AND I'M PU SUING MY PHD LIVING
AS AN EXPERIENCED CONSULTANT
WITH WELCOME AND RUN MY OWN
GRASSROOTS NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION FOCUSING ON MENTAL
HEALTH IN THE UK PARTICULARLY
AMONG SOUTH-ASIAN COMMUNITIES
AND PROUD TO CO-CHAIR WITH TOM
TODAY AND LETTING HIM INTRODUCE
HIMSELF.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND
GOOD MORNING AMERICA. I'M TOM
AND I AM NORMALLY BASED IN
NAIROBI KENYA AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] INSTITUTION A
SWAHILI WORD FOR THRIVE AND WE
PROVIDE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
ACROSS KENYA. OVER TO YOU.
>> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. WE
FEEL PROUD TO CO-CHAIR FIRST
PLENARY SESSION OF KONT FRENS
AND WE FEEL VERY CONNORED TO
SPEAK ALONGSIDE AND SPEAK WITH
AND CONNECT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE
IN THE GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH
SPACE AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT
PROSPECT OF CONNECTING WITH SO
MANY PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
DAYS AND HOPE THAT YOU ARE TOO.
SO, BEFORE OUTLINING THE SESSION
OBJECTIVES WHAT WE HOPE TO DO
TODAY I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
ORGANIZERS FOR WORK THEY PUT IN
TODAY TO CURATE LIFE AND FORWARD
THINKING AGENDA AND WHEN TOM AND
MYSELF WERE APPROACHED TO
CO-CHAIR THE PLENARY SESSION WE
WERE DETERMINED TO FIND A TOPIC
TO RESONATE WITH AUDIENCES AND
WE WANTED TO DELIVER IT IN A WAY
THAT WOULD CONNECT WITH PEOPLE
AND SURE THAT ORGANIZERS ARE
HAPPY TO KNOW THAT TOM QUICKLY
DISMISSED MY FIRST IDEA WHICH
WAS TO DO IT IN A MUSICAL WITH A
100-PIECE ORCHESTRA. MAYBE NEXT
TIME. LET'S SEE. IN ALL
SERIOUSNESS MYSELF AND TOM A
NUMBER OF TIMES TO THINK ABOUT
TOPIC OF DECOLONIZATION WITHIN
CONTEXT OF GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH
AND WHAT IT MEANT TO US AND WHAT
WE CAN DO TO ENABLE DECLONIAL
APPROACHES AND LANDED ON WAY TO
FRAME THIS BIG DISCUSSION THAT
ENCAPSULATED US IN OUR HOLISTIC
SELVES AND FOCUS ON HUMANIZING
RESEARCHERS AND BY EXTENSION
RESEARCH WE ARE INVOLVED WITH
AND BASE OF FRAMING IS
RESUBJECTIVIZATION OF US AS
PEOPLE AND RESEARCH WE ARE
INVOLVED WITH. WE DON'T TRY TO
DRAW ARBITRARY BOUNDARIES AND
RECOGNIZE THAT FEATURES ARE
DEEPLY ENTWINED. WITH THIS IN
MIND WE DEVELOPED THREE ROUGH
OBJECTIVES FOR TODAY'S SESSION.
NO. 1, TO ENABLE REFLECTION ON
DE-COLONIAL APPROACHES IN GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AND NO. 2
TO RECOGNIZE IMPORTANCE OF
HUMANS BEHIND RESEARCH BEING
DONE AND NO. 3 TO REFLECT ON
VALUES WITH WHICH WE AS A
COLLECTIVE WANT TO APPROACH THIS
CONFERENCE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
DA
DAYS.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
QUESTION AND ANSWERS AND BEFORE
I HAND MIC TO TOM I WANT TO
OUTLINE HOW TO GET INVOLVED AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SESSION AS
WELL AND YOU WILL SEE AT BOTTOM
LEFT GO TO SLIDO.COM TYPING INTO
BROWSER ENTERING CODE GRC TO
TAKE YOU TO PAGE TO SUBMIT
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO GO TO
MY DEVICE HERE AND WE CAN COVER
THOSE WHEN WE GET TO T HANDING
TO TOM TO START US THROUGH THIS
FIRESIDE CHAT SECTION.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
I COME FROM AN ENTREPRENEURIAL
BACKGROUND WHEN I GO TO
CONFERENCES PEOPLE ARE REALLY
SERIOUS LONG SLIDEDECKS AND I
HAVE TO ASK YOU WHAT FAVERATE
PRECONFERENCE BREAKFAST ISES.
>> I AM WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDERS
MY NON-PROFIT I RUN AND FIND IT
INTERESTING ON OPPOSITE SLIDES
OF SPECTRUM. ONE IS RESEARCH
FUNDER AND IMPLEMENTING BEST
KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND
MENTAL HEALTH ON THE GROUND AND
FOR ME I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE HAVING ORGANIZATIONS
AND EXPERIENCES ACROSS THAT
KNOWLEDGE RESEARCH TO
IMPLEMENTATION PIPELINE AND
FASCINATING TO SEE HOW
CONVERSATIONS GO FROM BUILDING
KNOWLEDGE AND DOG RESEARCH AND
IMPLEMENTING KNOWLEDGE ON THE
GROUND AND OPPORTUNITIES AND
OBSTACLES THAT COME IN THAT AND
FIND MYSELF LUCKY TO HAVE HAD
BOTH THE EXPERIENCES AND HOW
ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT BRINGS
YOU IN THIS SPACE?
>> I MENTIONED THAT BACKGROUND
IS ENTREPRENEURIAL. I REALIZE
THERE IS A LARGE MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT [INDISCERNIBLE] AND
LUCKY AS AN UNDERGRAD I WORKED
IN MENTAL HEALTH LAB AND
REALIZED THERE WAS SO MANY
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS THAT
DIED IN ACADEMIC JOURNAL THAT
WAS END OF ALL THESE GREAT
RESEARCHES AND WORK AND I WAS
INTERESTED IN HOW DO YOU BUILD
THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS
THAT CAN GET INTERESTING WORK
FROM ACADEMIC JOURNALS TO PEOPLE
IN THE WORLD AND INSPIRES WORK
AND IN 2021 AND NOW SERVE 30,000
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS
KENYA AND WORK IS BUILT ON IDEA
TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH ACCESSIBLE
FOR ALL AND IN GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH SOUTH WE HAVE TO BUILD
AND DESIGN FOR SCALE AND NEEDS
FROM MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE
ARE TOO LARGE THAT WE NEED TO
MOVE AWAY FROM JUST DESIGNING
SYSTEMS AND TREATMENTS FOR A FEW
INDIVIDUALS AND THINKING ABOUT
IT AT SCALE. EVEN AS YOU DO
THAT WE HAVE TO BE GUIDED TRYING
TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
AFFORDABLE AND GUIDED TRYING TO
PERSONALIZE THEM TO BOTH
INDIVIDUAL AND CONTEXTUAL NEEDS
AND WE NEED TO BE GUIDED BY
REALIZING WE ARE BUILDING
INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SAME
EXISTING SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED TO
FIND WAYS TO INTEGRATE INTO THE
EXISTING SYSTEMS OF CAREGIVING
AND EXISTING SYSTEMS OF
COMMUNITY LIFE; RIGHT?
ONE THING THAT WE MENTIONED IN
THE BEGINNING IS COMING TO
CONVERSATIONS AS HUMANS FIRST
AND FOREMOST AND IS SOMETHING
THAT INSPIRES US TO WANT TO WORK
IN MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL OF US.
I WAS CURIOUS FOR YOU WHAT IS
THAT BRINGS YOU TO THIS SPACE?
>> GREAT QUESTION AND SOMETHING
MOM ASKS ME ONCE A WEEK. HOW DO
YOU END UP DOING THIS WORK?
I CAN'T ANSWER IT NORMALLY AND
FOR ME, ME ENDING UP IN THIS
SPACE I THINK IS A MIXTURE OF
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES I HAVE AND
OWN EXPERIENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES AND PREVIOUS WORK WAS
IN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD END UP
IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SPACE UNTIL
I EXPERIENCED MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES MYSELF AND THOSE
HAPPENED TRANSITIONING INTO
UNIVERSITY AND CONTINUED IN THAT
PERIOD.
REALLY IMPORTANT THING IN THAT I
WAS ABLE TO ACCESS SUPPORT I
NEEDED AT THAT TIME AND KEKD
WITH FRIENDS AND SUPPORT
SERVICES TO HELP ME GET
CONNECTED BACK ON MY FEET AND
IMPORTANTLY AFTER I WAS
SUPPORTED IN THAT WAY I LOOKED
BACK AND REALIZED HOW LUCKY I
WAS TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT
AND MOVED HOME LEAVING CITY
GOING TO UNIVERSITY I MOVED BACK
HOME AND REALIZED I WAS
UNBELIEVABLY LUCKY TO GET HELP I
NEEDED AT THAT POINT.
I REALIZE MANY FOLKS IN
COMMUNITIES SURROUNDED ME THAT
WEREN'T AS LUCKY.
THERE IS A BIT OF GAPS TOWARDS
THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES IN COMMUNITY AROUND
ME AND ACCESSING SUPPORT THEY
NEED TODAY THRIVE. THIS WAS I
DON'T KNOW DEVELOPING IN MY MIND
THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION AROUND
THE MENTAL HEALTH SPACE. I GOT
REALLY INTERESTED COMING TO
MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSION
AND REASON I BECAME INTERESTED
IS I SAW LOTS OF WORK IN UK AND
MEDIA THAT STARTED TO TALK
OPENLY ABOUT MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
AND DIDN'T SEE ANYONE LOOKING AT
ME TALKING ABOUT THIS OR SEE
ANYONE WHO LOOKED LIKE MY FAMILY
OR COMMUNITY.
WHEN I WOULD SPEAK TO PEOPLE
FROM MY COMMUNITIES ABOUT MENS
MENTAL HEALTH AND SPEAK TO MEN,
CONVERSATION WOULD BE MORE
DIFFICULT. I WOULD SAY TO THEM,
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CELEBRITY
TALKING ABOUT IT OR THIS ONE
TALKING ABOUT IT?
CONVERSATION WASN'T GETTING
THERE YOU TO THEM AT ALL. I
NOTICED A RISK HERE THAT THERE
WAS A TLAFK CONVERSATIONS AROUND
MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH COULD TAKE
STEPS FORWARD IN PARTICULAR
PARTS OF OUR SOCIETY AND WOULD
LEAVE OTHERS BEHIND AND SO MY
WHOLE DRIVE WHEN IT CAME TO
FOUNDING AND STARTING
[INDISCERNIBLE] WAS BECAUSE I
SAW THIS GAP. I SAW THIS GAP
AND REALIZED THAT SUPPORT THAT I
HAD MEANT I WAS LUCKY AND BEING
LUCKY TO ACCESS SUPPORT
SHOULDN'T BE THE NORM.
NORM SHOULD BE BEING ABLE TO
ACCESS SUPPORT WE NEED TO THRIVE
IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE MOST
REQUIRE IT.
[INDISCERNIBLE] IS A WORD FOUND
IN PAN JABBI AND HINDI AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND PART OF VERB
TO PROGRESS. I CAN'T TAKE CLAIM
FOR WORD BEING THE ORGANIZATION.
SHOUTOUT TO MY MOM. SHE WOULD
BE PROUD.
BUT THAT IS WHAT REALLY STARTED
ME ON THIS JOURNEY AND THEN WHEN
I GOT FURTHER INVOLVED I
REALIZED THAT SKILLSET I
DEVELOPED IN POLITICAL AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES WAS REALLY
NEEDED IN THE SPACE BECAUSE
CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS ALL
INVOLVE POWER.
AND THE PROCESSES AND POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES THAT WE SEE IN
EVERY SPACE ARE LADEN WITH
DIFFERENT TYPES OF POWER. FOR
ME, THERE WAS A HUGE NEED FOR
THIS TYPE OF ANALYSIS.
I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO BE HERE
AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL YOU HAVE
BEEN ON A BIT OF A WILD RIDE.
IT IS COOL HOW ABOUT YOURSELF,
TOM?
>> BORN AND RAISED IN A SMALL
VILLAGE IN KENYA AND THERE IS
PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE AND SO
GROWING UP THE ONLY PATHWAY
TOWARDS INDEPENDENT LIVING WAS
ACADEMICS AND GROWING UP AND A
LOT OF PRESSURE TO DO WELL IN
SCHOOL AND SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND
REMEMBER WHEN I WAS 10 OR 12 WE
-- SO, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD A
BUDDING SECTION AND DAY SECTION
AND MOVED TO BUDDING SECTION AND
REALLY HIGH PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT
WAKING UP 4 A.M. CLASSES GOING
TO BED 11:30 AT MIDNIGHT AND
TRANSITION INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND
THERE IS PRESSURE COOKING
ENVIRONMENTS STARTED TO TAKE A
TOLL ON MYSELF AND THOSE AROUND
ME AND LIFE I WAS HAVING THEN
WAS FEELING TIRED AND LOSING
INTEREST AND PLEASURE IN WHAT
ENJOYED AND TAKING TOLL ON
PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY AND FOR
EXAMPLE I BECAME [INDISCERNIBLE]
AND HAD FRIENDS WHO QUIT SCHOOL
AND A CLASSMATE THAT TOOK THEIR
OWN LIFE AND GROWING UP IN
CONTEXT I DIDN'T KNOW THESE WERE
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND FELT
IT WAS LIFE AND GIVES YOU CARD
THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAY AND CARD
YOU ARE GIVEN.
WHEN IN UNDERGRAD I HAD TO -- I
WAS STUDYING ENGLISH AND MOM
DIDN'T APPROVE YOU STUDIED
ENGLISH AND WENT TO AMERICA TO
STUDY ENGLISH AND WHAT ARE YOU
DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? I HAD TO
CHECK A PSYCHOLOGY CLASS
REQUIRED IN AMERICAN LIBERAL
ARTS [INDISCERNIBLE] AND TAKING
THIS PSYCHOLOGY CLASS AND
REALIZED THAT EXPERIENCE WE HAD
WERE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND
REALIZED I IN RETROSPECT WAS A
DEPRESSED KID IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IN THE
MOMENT. THAT REALIZATION DREW
ME INTO MENTAL HEALTH SPACE AND
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS AND
PROCESS REALIZING NEED IN
CONTEXT TO IN KENYA MEDIAN AGE
IS 19 AND HALF POPULATION IS 19
AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES
SHOWING 1 TO 2 OR 3 KIDS THAT
ARE DEPRESSED WITH
[INDISCERNIBLE] THAT IS HIGH
NAMED PERCENT.
THESE THINGS INSPIRED ME TO WANT
TO WORK IN SPACE AND NOT FROM
PERSPECTIVE OF [INDISCERNIBLE]
AND SUCH AS BEING RESEARCH
DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] SYSTEM THAT CAN
ALLOW US TO HAVE A COOL AND
FASCINATING THING WE HAVE TO
SCA
SCALE.
[AUDIO SKIPPING].
WE ARE NOT HERE TO PRESCRIBE A
FRAMEWORK. WE ARE HERE TO BEGIN
THE CONVERSATION AND ALLOW
PEOPLE FREEDOM AND SPACE TO TAKE
CONVERSATION IN WHATEVER
DIRECTION THEY WANT.
ASKING YOU A QUESTION ASKING
PEOPLE DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT
DECOLONIZING DIFFERENTLY; RIGHT?
SAKE OF CONVERSATION WE AGREED
WE WILL BEGIN THINKING ABOUT
COLONIZING AND FIRST OF ALL
REFLEC
REFLECTING ON HISTORY OF MENTAL
HEALTH THAT GETS US TO THE
PRESENT.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT
MEANS TO DECOLONIZE MENTAL
HEALTH AS A REFLECTION
ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF
MENTAL HEALTH? HOW DOES IT
INFORM WORK AND CURRENT MODEL IN
HOW YOU NAVIGATE THIS SPACE?
>> ABSOLUTELY. TOM, THANK YOU.
FOR ME THINKING OF APPROACHES TO
MENTAL HEALTH IMPORTANT TO SEE
THEY ARE NOT ACROSS CULTURES AND
PARADIGMS WE APPROACH
CONVERSATIONS AND ACTION IN
MENTAL HEALTH SPACE ARE
DOMINATED BY WAYS OF THINKING
SHAPED PRIMARILY BY GLOBAL NORTH
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS
TO BE REFLECTED ON AND
ULTIMATELY ALSO SOMETHING THAT
NEEDS TO CHANGE AND TYPE OF
DOMINANCE AND TYPE OF EPISTEMIC
DOMINANCE WE KNOW HAS BEEN
CREATED IN A NUMBER OF CENTURIES
STARTING WITH TRANSATLANTIC
SLAVE TRADE SPREAD SUBSEQUENTLY
THROUGH VARIOUS TYPES OF GLOBAL
COLONIAL EXPANSION AND THAT RULE
OF THE GLOBAL NORTH PARTICULARLY
WESTERN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
WAS KEY TO CREATING STANDARD TO
WHICH MANY MATTERS OF PUBLIC AND
PROFESSIONAL LIVES WERE
COMPARED.
WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT DOMINANCE
HAS LED TO CERTAIN FORMS OF
KNOWLEDGE AND CERTAIN TYPES OF
KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS BEING
PERCEIVED AS INHERENTLY RIGHT
AND OTHERS BEING PERCEIVED AS
LESS AND HAVE A RANDOM ANECDOTE
ABOUT THIS. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER
AND HAD A COLD, GRANDMA WOULD
COME UP TO ME GIVING ME BOILING
MILK WITH TUMERIC IN T I WAS
LIKE WHAT EVEN IS THIS?
I TASTED IT. I WAS LIKE, OH, MY
GOD.
NOW YOU CAN BUY IT IN STARBUCKS.
YOU ARE PAYING $7 FOR IT.
I CAN GET YOU SO MUCH TUMERIC
FOR $7. IF YOU WANT A LOT OF
TUMERIC FOR $7, WE CAN TALK
AFTERWARDS.
WHAT GIVE SNZ WHAT HAPPENED
BETWEEN THAT PERIOD OF ME BEING
VERY SMALL AND SCARED AND --
SOMETHING HAPPENED. SUDDENLY
THAT TYPE OF PRACTICE AND
KNOWLEDGE WAS LEGITIMIZED.
AND SUDDENLY THERE WERE FOLKS
DRINKING TUMERICLANTES THAT WERE
NOT MY GRANDMA. THERE WAS A
CHANGE AND FOR ME THAT CHANGE IS
REALLY INDICATIVE OF SHIFTING
ATTITUDES AND IS INDICATIVE OF
SHIFTING KNOWLEDGE AND SHIFTING
TRENDS.
FOR ME, IN A STRANGE AND
ROUNDABOUT WAY I THINK IT IS A
REALLY POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW
THINGS THAT WE SEE IN PARTICULAR
CONTEXTS CAN CHANGE IN HOW THEY
ARE PERCEIVED OVER TIME WHEN
CONTEXT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
AND WHEN SITUATION IS SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENTLY.
AND WHEN IT IS COMING TO THE
KIND OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND
KNOWLEDGE AND AROUND MENTAL
HEALTH, I FOUND MYSELF WHEN I
WAS STARTING THIS JOURNEY
FALLING INTO A TRAP OF
DISMISSING EXISTING KNOWLEDGE OF
COMMUNITIES I'M SURROUNDED WITH.
I USED TO SAY THERE IS NO WORDS
FOR MENTAL HEALTH WITHIN
LANGUAGES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES
SPEAK IN.
I USED TO SAY THOSE GENERATIONS
COME PREVIOUSLY AND DIDN'T HAVE
WORDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND I
WAS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE WRONG
THING. I MISSED OUT REALLY ON A
RICH TAPESTRY OF LANGUAGE THAT
EXISTED TO TALK ABOUT EMOTION
AND DISTRESS AND TALK ABOUT
STRENGTHS.
I REALIZED WHEN WE ARE THINKING
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN KRURNLT
DEFINITIONS RELATIVELY RECENT.
OF COURSE, LANGUAGES THAT HAVE
BEEN THROUGH VARIOUS CYCLES OF
MIGRATION AND COMMUNITIES IN MY
CASE ARRIVED IN UK AND 1970S
WON'T HAVE SPECIFIC WORDS FOR
THINGS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY
EVOLVING.
THAT IS A QUICK EXAMPLE OF ME
GETTING CAUGHT IN THIS IDEA THAT
PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES AND
PARTICULAR GROUPS OF PEOPLE ARE
LACKING SOMETHING.
THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE
IMPARTED ON THEM.
AND IT MADE ME REALLY QUICKLY
REALIZE THAT ACTUALLY WE NEED TO
DIG DEEPER AND QUESTION OUR
ASSUMPTIONS AND QUESTION THE
TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS WE ARE
HAVING AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE
ARE ANECDOTAL EXAMPLES HOW
MENTAL HEALTH AND
DE-COLONIZATION POPULATIONS
POPPED UP IN MY WORK AND
INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM YOU AS
WELL TOO.
>> EXAMPLES FROM KENYA FIRST IS
STIGMA AND HOW IT IS ASSOCIATED
AND ONE THING WE HEAR IS HOW CAN
YOU DO ANYTHING AROUND MENTAL
HEALTH AND KENYA AND AFRICA
BECAUSE OF STIGMA?
DON'T YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT STIGMA ON MENTAL HEALTH?
WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I'M LIKE IT
ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE FOR MENTAL
HEALTH TO BE STIGMATIZED IN
KENYA AND ONLY LOGICAL
CONCLUSION PUTTING HISTORY OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND KENYA IN
PERSPECTIVE AND ONE EXAMPLE IS
DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR
INDEPENDENCE IN KENYA, WE HAD
THIS MOVEMENT CALLED MOUMOU,
THEY ARE FREEDOM FIGHTERS.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD A
PSYCHIATRIST CALLED KOR OATHAS
TO BUILD BASICALLY A BEHAVIORAL
PROFILE FOR THE MOUMOU. WHAT
HAPPENED IS PSYCHIATRIST
DIAGNOSED ALMOST 1 MILLION
PEOPLE WITH MASS PSYCHOSIS AND
RECOMMENDED THAT THEY THEY TAKEN
TO LIKE A PSYCHIATRY
[INDISCERNIBLE] BASICALLY. SO,
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST
INTRODUCTIONS THAT PEOPLE IN
KENYA HAVE WITH FORMAL MENTAL
HEALTH AND FIRST INTRODUCTION
YOU HAVE IS ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU
AND THOSE AROUND YOU ARE
DIAGNOSING THIS THING MENTAL
PSYCHOSIS AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA
AND SOLUTION FOR MASS PSYCHOSIS
IS YOU WILL BE LOCKED UP FOR
THREE YEARS AND WITHOUT TALKING
TO FAMILY, ET CETERA AND HUMANE
CIRCUMSTA
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS IS THE FOUNDATION, YOU
KNOW, MONDAY WHICH MENTAL HEALTH
BEGINS.
THE SECOND IS QUESTION OF MENTAL
HEALTH MOVED CAREGIVING FROM THE
COMMUNITY MAKING IT AN ISOLATING
ONE-ON-ONE EXPERIENCE A MENTOR,
HE WAS TRAINED IN THE WESTERN
TRADITION AND BELIEVED IN IT
REALLY AND IN COURSE OF PRACTICE
HE REALIZED HE SHARED 80% OF
PATIENTS WITH TRADITIONAL
HEAL
HEALERS.
IT WAS CONFUSING WHY DO PEOPLE
COME TO ME AND THEY GO TO
TRADITIONAL HEALER AND THEY
DECIDED TO STUDY A LITTLE ABOUT
THIS PROCESS. AND SPEND TIME
WITH A FEW TRADITIONAL HEALERS
AND OBSERVE WHAT THEY WERE DOING
AND REALIZED THAT THEY ACTUALLY
WERE USING TECHNIQUES THAT HE
HAD BEEN TAUG IN SCHOOL AND WERE
USING FORMS OF INTERPERSONAL
THERAPY AND PROBLEM SOLVING
THERAPY AND ACCEPTANCE THERAPY
AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT IS THEY
DID IT IN A COMMUNAL CONTEXT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH
CARE AS A GROUP AND HAD COMMUNAL
THRESHOLDS AROUND RECOVERY AND
THEN SO BASICALLY MOVING CARE
FROM THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING IT
INDIVIDUAL ALSO HELPS CONTRIBUTE
TO STIGMA IN CONTEXT AND
COMMUNITIES WHERE OTHER FORMS OF
LIFE ARE VERY COMMUNAL AND VERY,
YOU KNOW, VERY SOCIAL. TRYING
TO QUICKLY MOVE ON SO WE CAN
BRING THE REST OF THE GROUP INTO
THE CONVERSATION AND JUST WANT
TO SAY ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK
YOU IS AROUND RECOVERY AND HOW
YOU THINK ABOUT RECOVERY IN YOUR
CONTEXT AND ALSO JUST THINKING
ALSO JUST ABOUT SOME CONCRETE
APPROACHES TO COLONIZING MENTAL
HEALTH THAT YOU USE IN YOUR WORK
AND WELCOME TO SUGGEST TO THE
REST OF THE GROUP HERE.
>> FANTASTIC AND THANK YOU FOR
SHARING THE EXAMPLE. IT IS
SOMETHING I SAW AND SOMETHING I
READ UP ON AND ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE AFTER THIS TO SEND OUT
A RESOURCE LIST TO CONTINUE
READING AND LEARNING AS WE GO.
WHEN COMES TO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
RECOVERY I SAW WHEN TALKING
ABOUT THIS QUESTION THIS IS A
DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR CONTEXT
OF WORK WE DO AT [INDISCERNIBLE]
AND WE WORK SOUTH-ASIAN
COMMUNITIES TO BUILD HEALTH AND
RAELTISTICALLY MEANS A WORLD
WHERE MEMBERS OF COMMUNITIES AND
FOLKS WE SERVE AND THAT ARE ABLE
TO CREATE THAT SPACE FOR THEM
ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES
INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE LEVEL
AND ABLE TO THRIVE IN THEIR
LIVES AND IN OUR WORK WHICH IS
ALMOST AT THAT INTERSECTION OF
GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
AND MENTAL HEALTH WE DON'T TOEPD
USE WORD RECOVERY.
WITH FOLKS WE WORK WITH RECOVERY
IMPLIES SOMETHING IS WRONG.
WE FOUND THAT THAT CONVERSATION
IS HARDER TO HAVE AT POINT THAT
WE ARE AT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES
THAT WE WORK WITH.
WE LIKE TO FOCUS ON HOWEVER HOW
WE CAN BEST RECONNECT
COMMUNITIES WITH BEST STRENGTH
REPLENISHING RELATIONSHIPS AND
RESHAPING APPROACHES TO MENTAL
HEALTH AS A WHOLE AND SO MANY
AMAZING RESEARCHERS AND
ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE A
SLIGHTLY MORE WHETHER CLINICALLY
INFORMED APPROACH TO DO REALLY
BRILLIANT WORK AND I REALIZE
QUICKLY THAT WE ARE NOT ONE OF
THOSE.
WORK IS PROBABLY SLIGHTLY MORE
TOWARDS COMMUNITY-ORGANIZING
SIDE THAN IT IS TOWARDS CLINICAL
SERVICES SIDE THAT MAKES
CONVERSATION IN MENTAL HEALTH
SPACE EXCITING AND SLIGHTLY MORE
DIFFICULT; RIGHT?
TALKING TO INTERESTED PARTIES
AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
TALKING ABOUT RECOVERY AND
PARTICULAR METRICS OF MEASURING
RECOVERY AND TALKING ABOUT OUT
COMES THIS IS NOT THE LANGUAGE
WE ARE DOING WORK IN EVEN THOUGH
WORKING IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON
MENTAL HEALTH AND SOMETHING THAT
I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS A LOT IN
WORK AND QUESTION MAKES ME THINK
AND SOMETHING THAT POPS UP A LOT
FOR YOU?
>> YEAH. I THINK WE ARE
REALIZING TO YOUR POINT WHAT
PSYCHOMETRICS, TOOLS WE HAVE
WHEN THINKING ABOUT RECOVERY
ONLY MAKES SENSE FOR CLINICIANS
AND RESEARCHERS THAT DON'T MAKE
SENSE FOR PATIENTS AND CLIENTS,
RIGHT?
THAT COMPLICATES CONVERSATION
RECOVERY AND FOR EXAMPLE WORK WE
DO WE USE PHQ9 AND GAB7 TO
SCREEN FOR DEPRESSION AND WE
ONLY DO IT FOR -- BECAUSE WE
HAVE TO WRITE PAPERS AND WHAT
FUNDERS CARE ABOUT ALSO.
REALITY IS FOR LIKE A KID IN
KENYA AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO
MOVE 13PHQ TO 9 IN PHQ AND IS
CHANGE CONSEQUENTIAL IN THEIR
LIFE?
DOES IT REALLY MATTER? RIGHT?
WE REALLY REMOVED FOLKS WITH
LIVED EXPERIENCE FROM
CONVERSATION RECOVERY AND
CONCEPTUALIZE RECOVERYING LIKE
AND DEVELOPING TOOLS THAT ALLOW
US RECOVERY IS AND KEY QUESTION
IS ARE PEOPLE WE ARE WORKING
WITH THINK THAT THEY ARE
RECOVERING AND IS THIS RECOVERY
CONSEQUENTIAL IN THEIR LIFE AND
FOR US IS A BIG QUESTION MAKING
MEASURES THAT MAKE SENSE FOR
CLIENTS AND PATIENTS NOT FOR
JUST RESEARCHERS AND FINALLY
FROM ME I'M BRINGING THIS PART
OF THE PANEL TO A CONCLUSION.
DO YOU WANT TO WALK US THROUGH
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU TO
DECOLONIZE MENTAL GLOBAL HEALTH
AND DO YOU HAVE IDEAS AND
APPROACHES, ET CETERA?
>> ABSOLUTELY. BEING BRIEF ON
THIS ONE KEEN WE CAN BRING
COLLEAGUES TO STAGE AS WELL. IT
IS SIMPLE FOR ME DECOLONIZING
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH IS
BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND
RECONSTITUTE HOW POWER IS
ALLOCATED ACROSS A SYSTEM.
WE CAN GO INTO THAT IN DIFFERENT
LEVELS THINKING ABOUT TYPES OF
POWERS HISTORICALLY CONSTITUTED
REPRODUCED IN DIFFERENT WAYS
INTERPERSONALLY STRUCTURALLY AND
SYSTEMICALLY AND FRAMEWORKS AND
FOR ME IS ONGOING PROCESS
REFLECTING RECONSTITUTING HOW
POWER IS ALLOCATED NOT JUST IN
SYSTEMS WE OPERATE IN AND
INTERNALLY IN OWN KIND OF
FUNCTIONING AND HOW WE INTERPRET
AND CONNECT IN THE WORLD AND
WILL LEAVE AT THAT AND KEEN THAT
PANELISTS HAVE LOTS TO SAY ABOUT
THIS.
>> GREAT. TWO THINGS.
FIRST, EASIEST THING THAT IS
CHALLENGING RESOURCE SCARCITY
HUMAN MENTALITY AND THINKING
ABOUT GLOBAL SOUTH ONE THING
THAT COMES TO MIND WE DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH RESOURCE FOR CAREGIVERS
AND DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PHYSICAL
OR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, TO
DO MENTAL HEALTH AND DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY FOR THIS.
ACTUALLY, WE HAVE LOTS OF
RESOURCES AND HAVE FOLKS FROM
LAY PROVIDERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND
CLERGY, ET CETERA, THAT ARE
DOING CAREGIVING WORK AND HELP
WITH CAREGIVING WORK AND
COMMUNITY BASED INFRASTRUCTURES
CHURCHES AND MOSQUES, ET CETERA,
THAT CAN BE ALSO TURNED INTO
AREAS FOR CAREGIVING AND SO
DECOLONIZING IS A THING THAT IS
MOVING AWAY FROM THIS RESOURCE
SCARCITY MENTALITY AND TRYING TO
UTILIZE EXISTING RESOURCES.
YES. THANKS SO MUCH. I THINK
AT THIS JUNKURE WE WILL INVITE
THE REST OF THE GROUP.
>> THANK YOU FOR AN
INSPIRATIONAL FIRESIDE CHAT.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> I VERY MUCH DO FEEL LIKE I
SHARED PART OF MY SOUL AND
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN AND
WILL TELL MY GRANDMA IF WE CAN
TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK THE
PANELISTS TO MAKE WAY ON STAGE
FOR NEXT SECTION THAT WILL BE
LESS OF TOM AND I TALKING AND
THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THEIR WORK
AND MOTIVATIONS AND HOW THEY
CONCEPTUALIZE TAKING DE-COLONIAL
APPROACHES CAN I HAVE A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR THE PANELISTS?
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> AH SMCHLT EVERYONE HAS A MIC?
FABULOUS. SO PREPARED. LOVE
IT. THANKS FOR JOINING TODAY
AND BEING INVOLVED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT IN SESSION WE HAVE.
ONE OF FIRST THINGS TO ASK TO
PROVIDE IF YOU CAN GIVE A QUICK
INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELVES.
I
WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT BRINGS YOU
THE PERSON TO THIS WORK THAT YOU
DO AND STARTING WITH JACKIE AND
WORK THIS WAY.
>> INTRODUCTIONS FIRST?
>> YEAH.
>> HI. I'M JACKIE SCHESS AND
PHD STUDENT IN HEALTH POLICY AT
UC BERKELEY AND CEO AND FOUNDER
OF GENERATION MENTAL HEALTH A
YOUTH LED NON-PROFIT EMPOWERING
YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION ON
MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT BRINGS ME
TO THE WORK IS MY LIVED
EXPERIENCE.
I HAVE GONE THROUGH LOTS OF
THINGS THAT WOULD GET LOTS OF
LABELS IN CLINICAL SPACES AND
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT, THAT
DOES GIVE ME A CERTAIN
PERSPECTIVE ON THIS WORK AND
BEING A PERSON WHO IS PHYSICALLY
DISABLED AND ON OTHER HAND I
THINK ABOUT PRIVILEGE I HAVE
BEING A WHITE PERSON AND PERSON
WITH WEALTH PRIVILEGE AND BEING
ABLE TO BE ON STAGE AND MOBILIZE
PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THOSE WHO
DON'T HAVE IT.
>> THANK YOU JACKIE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI. I'M KATHERINE AND I'M
THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE SHAMIRI
INSTITUTE AND WITH TOM WHO YOU
HAVE MET HERE AND ITS SCIENTIFIC
DIRECTOR AND PHD STUDENT IN
HARVARD WORKING IN LAB FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AND STUDY
PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH IN THE
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH SPACE AND
LOTS OF WHAT BRINGS ME INTO THIS
SPACE IS I THINK CARING ABOUT
PEOPLES QUALITY OF LIFE A LOT
AND HAVING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE
WORKING IN COLLEGE ESPECIALLY
WITH PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
AND THEIR FAMILIES AND JUST
SEEING HOW MUCH IT IMPACTS EVERY
MOMENT OF EVERY DAY FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE MENTAL
ILLNESSES AND MENTAL HEALTH
PROBLEMS AND THINK THAT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT REALLY SORT OF
STRUCK ME WAS HOW HARD IT IS TO
FIND REALLY EFFECTIVE SERVICES
AND RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY
AND FOR ME PERSONALLY I CARE
ABOUT EQUITY AND FAIRNESS AS
WELL.
I KNOW THAT ALMOST ALL PEOPLE IN
THE WORLD ARE A HUGE PORTION OF
PEOPLE IN WORLD LIVE IN LOW AND
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AND A
LOT OF RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES ARE IN HIGH-INCOME
COUNTRIES AND FOR ME I'M REALLY
FROM A VALUED PERSPECTIVE AND
EXTREMELY DRAWN TO THIS WORKING
IN MENTAL HEALTH GENERALLY AND
IN GLOBAL MENTAL HEAL SGLJ THANK
YOU. LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
MANASI.
>> THANK YOU. NICE TO BE ON
THIS PANEL WITH YOU. I HAVE
BEEN TRAINED IN INDIA AND UK AND
TAUGHT UNDERGRADUATE AND POST
GRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY IN BOTH
INDIA AND U INSTITUTIONS FOR
FIVE YEARS AND MOVED TO KENYA
FOR PERSONAL REASONS AND GOT
INVOLVED IN UNIVERSITY TEACHING
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY
AT UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI. I WAS
THERE DOG ACTIVE TEACHING AND
RESEARCH FOR OVER THEIR TA
ENYEARS.
MY PERSPECTIVE AND IDEAS AROUND
THE THEME ARE VERY MUCH IMBEDDED
WITHIN THOSE OR THAT EXPERIENCE
AND I'M INTERESTED IN HOW
LIBTORY PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL
HEALTH FIELD CAN BE DEVELOPED
NECESSARY SPECIALLY SPEAKING TO
HIGH ADVERSITY AND POVERTY
CONTEXT AND WHAT REALLY GOT ME
INTERESTED IN BEING A LITTLE
MORE DIRECT ABOUT COMMUNICATION
AND IMPORTANCE OF THESE IDEAS IS
I HAVE SEEN HOW AFRICAN
RESEARCHERS IN PARTICULAR GET
TREATED IN THE GLOBAL HEALTH
SQUARE.
I THINK THAT THE DIMENSION OF
INVISIBILITY AND FACT THAT ONE
IS CONSTANTLY WE ARE SHAPING A
SCIENCE WHERE CAPACITY HAS TO BE
CONSTANTLY BUILT AND NO END TO
CAPACITY BUILDING AND THERE IS
NO ARENA IN WHICH THEY GET AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE.
PERHAPS IS ALSO TRUE OF OTHER
LMICS AND IS MOST STARK IN
AFRICAN CONTEXT THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE OUGHT
TO CHALLENGE AND THAT IS MY
[INDISCERNIBLE] TO BE ON THIS
PABL AND TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT
THAT.
>> GREAT. I THINK JUST TO
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US ON THE
PANEL, YOU -- BY FAR ARE THE
MOST PROLIFIC WHEN COMING TO
RESEARCH OUTPUT AND QUESTION FOR
YOU, AND THEN THE REST OF THE
PANEL IS WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH SPACE
WHICH IS PERCEIVED AS A NORM AND
ACTUALLY REPRODUCES INEQUITY?
>> YEAH. THANK YOU, TOM, FOR
THAT QUESTION.
THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS.
I THINK THAT ONE OF OUR
PANELISTS ELUDED TO THIS PERHAPS
IT WAS BOTH OF YOU IN SOME WAYS
THAT SIMPLIFICATION AND
PICTURIZING LMICS AND DEVELOPING
CONTEXT AND HIGH ADVERSITY
CONTEXT AND PERPETUAL SITES OF
LACK. THERE IS A COMPLETE LACK
OF RESOURCE THEORIES
PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS AND
POLICIES.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE
CHALLENGED.
THERE IS -- WE HAVE SEEN VERY
CLOSELY DURING COVID THAT
PROBLEMS CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE AND
IN HIGH INCOME CONTEXTS AND THAT
SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE AND THERE
ARE PERHAPS RUDE IMENTSS OF
POLICIES AND PERSPECTIVES TO BE
PRESENTED AND HAS TO BE THOUGHT
ABOUT A LITTLE MORE AND THINK
THERE IS ALSO THE ASPECT
DECOLONIZATION PERSPECTIVE TO BE
UNDERSTOOD AND I'M HERE AND MANY
ARE HARVARD TRAINED
PSYCHOLOGISTS AND YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT DECOLONIZATION AND
IS AN INTERESTING KIND OF THING
-- I THINK THOSE KIND OF
INEQUITIES I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE
CAN DO THERE SAY STRUGGLE AND
RESOURCES ARE NEVER ENOUGH AND
PERHAPS IN UJ TO FUNDERS AND
ORGANIZERS TO CONSIDER BALANCING
THOSE THINGS AND ASPECT IS POOR
UNDERSTANDING OF REVERSE
INNOVATION THAT THINGS ARE
HAPPENING IN FIELDS THAT CAN
TRIGGER CONVERSATIONS ADVANCING
KNOWLEDGE BEING PUT IN FOREFRONT
AND LIVED PEOPLE AND
CONVERSATIONS NEED RESEARCHERS
AND NATIONAL LEADERS TO BE THEY
NEED TO BE FACE OF SUCH
MOVEMENTS AND PROCESSES AND WILL
BE SOME THINGS I'M SURE
PANELISTS WILL DO FOR OTHERS.
THANKS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. ONE THING
QUICKLY THAT I HAVE NOTICED ON
YOUTH THERAPY RESEARCH AND THAT
RESEARCH 5% OF RANDOMIZED
CONTROLLED TRIALS TAKE PLACE IN
LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES
90% OF YOUTH IN WORLD LIVE IN
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AND
DISCREPANCY IS NOT BECAUSE OF
LACK OF IDEAS OR TALENT AND
NUMBERS TO ME ARE STRIKING AND
IS A LOT WE CAN DO FROM FUNDING
AND TRAINING PERSPECTIVES TO
HELP BRING THAT GAP AND ANOTHER
THING I NOTICED.
I WANT TO BE CAREFUL HOW I SAY
THIS AND IT IS KIND OF A LITTLE
DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS.
A COMMON THING HAPPENS IN MENTAL
GLOBAL HEALTH WE TAKE A THERAPY
FROM A HIGH INCOME SETTING AND
TAKE IT AND TRY IT IN LOWER OR
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY AND DON'T
THINK THAT IS ALWAYS BAD AND
BEING CLEAR ON THAT LOOKING AT
PAST RESEARCH USING IT TO INFORM
FUTURE RESEARCH AND AT SAME TIME
IT IS -- MENTAL HEALTH IS
CONTEXTUAL AND RECOVERY IS
CONTEXTUAL AND SUSPECT THAT
PSYCHOTHERAPIES ARE VERY
CONTEXTUAL FROM CLINICAL AND
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND WE
PERHAPS LEAN A BIT TOO HEAVILY
AS A FIELD ON TAKING AND
TRANSPLANTING THINGS AND I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE MORE TOTALLY NOVEL
PSYCHOTHERAPIES AND TOTALLY
NOVEL RESEARCH IDEAS DEVELOPED
BY PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN
CULTURES AND CONTEXTS WE HAVEN'T
SEEN REPRESENTED VERY MUCH IN
THE RESEARCH SPACE AND THINK
THAT FIELD OF PSYCHOTHERAPY IN
GENERAL COULD USE SOME FRESH
IDEAS.
IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US.
LIKE AROUND THE WHOLE WORLD IF
WE FOCUS MORE ON TESTING TOTALLY
NOVEL IDEAS COMING FROM PEOPLE
WHOSE VOICES HAVE NOT BEEN
REPRESENTED OWE FRN IN THE
LITERATURE. YEAH.
>> JACLYN?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUILDING
OFF POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE,
I HAVE SEEN RELIANCE ON
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES BE USED
IN A WAY THAT PREVENTS ANYTHING
NEW THAT WILL BENEFIT FOLKS
WHERE RESEARCH HAS NOT BEEN
DONE.
PREVENT THAT FROM OCCURRING.
SO, I REALLY THINK THIS RELIANCE
AND THIS SORT OF NORMALIZATION
OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE TO THINK
CRITICALLY ABOUT. AS WE TALK
ABOUT, MOST OF THE EVIDENCE THAT
EXISTS DOES NOT APPLY TO THE
LARGE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THE
WORLD.
HOW CAN WE TALK ABOUT KNOWING
WHAT WORKS?
THAT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO
CHALLENGE REALLY WHAT KNOWLEDGE
WE SEE AS IMPORTANT. SHURANJEET
BROUGHT IT UP EARLIER CENTERING
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE AND THINKING ABOUT
WHOSE VOICES ARE NOT IN THE ROOM
WAS ELUDED TO EARLIER.
IT IS NORMAL, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE
CONFERENCES IN THE US AND IN A
FEDERAL BUILDING WHERE LARGE
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TRYING TO
BENEFIT WITH CONVERSATIONS CAN'T
ACCESS AND IS ANOTHER THING THAT
I THINK THAT WE CAN REALLY THINK
ABOUT AND HOW CAN WE MAKE
CONVERSATIONS AND SPACES MUCH
MORE ACCESSIBLE AND CENTER
PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE AT CENTER
OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
>> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU ALL FOR THE RESPONSES.
SO, THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO
THINK ABOUT IS WE HAVE SITUATED
YOURSELVES AS PEOPLE AND THOUGHT
ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE SEE IN THE GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH SPACE COMING TO
PERPETUATING INEQUITY.
I WANT TO HEAR A BIT ABOUT HOW
IN YOUR WORK YOU ARE DOING OR
THINKING IN RELATION TO
DECOLONIZATION AND SOME ACTUAL
KIND OF EXAMPLES AND ANECDOTES
YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO
APPLY THIS THINKING IN CONTEXT.
I WILL START WITH MANASI OVER
HERE.
>> I THINK SOME THINGS I HAVE
BECOME VERY DRAWN TO IS THIS
IDEA WE -- NOT MY MANDATE AS A
RESEARCHER TO DO SO AND PERHAPS
RESEARCH IMPORTANT AGENCIES, UN
AGENCIES AND FUNDERS AND
COLLEAGUES FROM NIH WHO CAN PLAY
THAT ROLE MUCH BETTER IS
ENCOURAGING NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
ON STIMULATING RESEARCH AND
PROMOTING RESEARCHERS AND
PROMOTING A CULTURE OF RESEARCH
WHERE INDIGENOUS IDEAS AND IDEAS
THAT MATTER TO DEVELOPMENT
PROGRESS OF COUNTRY SHOULD BE
PUT IN FOREFRONT. LEADERS HAVE
BEGUN TO REALIZE THAT MENTAL
HEALTH IS INEXTRICABLY CONNECTED
TO DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE AND
BETTER ENVIRONMENT. IT IS VERY
CLEAR IN THINGS WE HEAR AND SEE
TODAY AND NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
DOESN'T ALWAYS MATTER AND
RESOURCES DOESN'T MATCH UP AND
PRIORITIZATION DOESN'T MATCH UP
AND MADE IT LIFE PURPOSE TO WORK
CLOSELY IN WHATEVER LIMITED
GEOGRAPHIES I OPERATE IN TO WORK
CLOSELY WITH ACTORS AND
UNDERSTAND PERSPECTIVE AND
BARRIERS AND PICKING UP THINGS
THEY THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND TO
BE GUIDED BY THAT.
SECOND THING THAT ONE HAS TO BE
CAREFUL OF I THINK IS SOMETHING
TO BRING TO YOU IS STRENGTHS
CULTIVATED AND PROMOTED BY
FUNDERS DON'T KNOW WHETHER
CONSCIOUS OR UNCONSCIOUS AND
FOLLOWING WAYS DOING THINGS RCTS
ARE ONLY WAYS IN WHICH ONE
SHOULD INTERROGATE BIG PROBLEMS
OR ONLY LOOK FOR COMMON ELEMENTS
BUT NOT LOOK AT MICROCONTEXTUAL
FACTORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT OR
UNDERMINING OF PROCESS ISSUES
THAT IS CHANGING SOMEWHAT AND IN
WORK THOSE THAT I MENTION I'M
INTERROGATING ARE FOCUSING ON
PROCESS AND ONE THING MAYBE MORE
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE HERE
IS I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF
INEQUITIES AND DISPARITIES TO
FOCUS ON DIALOGUE AND LEADERSHIP
AND DON'T THINK HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES HAVE TO BE MEDIATORS
AND BROKERS AND BEING IN ROOM
ITSELF IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
AND NEEDS TO BE INDEPENDENT
DIALOGUE BETWEEN SOUTH, SOUTH
COUNTRIES AND FEEL THAT I WANT
TO LEARN EXAMPLES FROM MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRIES AND FOR KENYA,
US IS NOT BEST EXAMPLE FOR
EVERYTHING AND SYSTEM IS SO
ADVANCED AND PERHAPS ANOTHER
COUNTRY LIKE INDONESIA AND
MALAYSIA AND SOUTH AFRICA ARE
BETTER EXAMPLES AND WHY AREN'T
WE DOING LEARNING AND
STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS?
I HOPE SOME WILL APPEAL TO YOU
AND ARE WAYS WHICH I'M
ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES.
>> THANK YOU. HANDING IT TO
KATHERINE.
>> SO BEAUTIFULLY EXPRESSED AND
HARD TO FOLLOW IT UP. IT WAS
LOVELY AND ONE THING THAT I
THINK ABOUT A LOT IS HOW MY GOAL
IS NOT TO SORT OF POP IN AND DO
SHORT-TERM RESEARCH BUT PRODUCE
LONGER-TERM BENEFITS AND ONE
THING I THINK ABOUT IN RELATION
TO THAT IS FAIR AUTHORSHIP AND
FAIR PAYMENT PRACTICES.
IF GOING TO A CERTAIN PLACE AND
RECUTTING PARTICIPANTS FROM THAT
PLACE AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
FROM THAT PLACE I THINK IT IS
ONLY FAIR AND APPROPRIATE THAT
EVERYONE SORT OF BENEFIT
PROFESSIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY
FROM WORK BEING DONE IN THAT
LOCATION AND THEN THE OTHER
THING THAT I THINK ABOUT IS HOW
LIKE WE ARE MENTAL HEALTH
RESEARCHERS AIMING TO IMPROVE
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND HAVE
TO PUT EFFORTS AND MONEY TOWARDS
BUILDING SUSTAINABLE LOCAL
MENTAL HEALTH CAPACITY AND SAKE
OF LONG-TERM AVAILABILITY IN
RESEARCH AND HEALTH SERVICES AND
RESEARCH EFFORTS CAN BE SOURCES
OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
TRAINING TO BUILD LONGER TERM
SUSTAINABLE AND LOCAL CAPACITY.
>> FANTASTIC. THANK YOU.
JACKIE?
>> IN WORK I DO WE THINK ABOUT
HOW WE CAN DISRUPT POWER
DYNAMICS EXISTING IN GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH SPACES THAT WERE
ELUDED TO EARLIER AND ONE THING
WE PRIORITIZE IS REALLY
OPERATING ON A MODEL OF TRUST
AND LETTING YOUNG PEOPLE SET THE
AGENDA FOR THE PROB GRAM'S
RESEARCH AND POLICY ADVOCACY
THEY KNOW WILL BE RELEVANT IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES AND INVEST IN
THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WA
THEY NEED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND
THINK DOING A BETTER JOB
ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE
GLOBAL SOUTH IN RESEARCH PROCESS
CAN BE A TRANSFORMATIVE WAY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING
REALLY TO FOLKS.
SO, THAT IS A LOT OF WHAT I
THINK BOTH AT WORK WE DO AT
GENMH AND IN RESEARCH THINKING
HOW WE CAN BUILD COMMUNITY BASED
PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PRACTICES
IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SCIENCE AROUND MENTAL HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A REALLY
INTERESTING GROUP OF PEOPLE AT
THIS CONFERENCE BOTH IN PERSON
AND SOME ARE WATCHING ONLINE AND
INCLUDING DECISION MAKERS
RESEARCHERS STAKEHOLDERS, ET
CETERA.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE
FOCUSING ON AND INVESTING IN OR
COMMITTING TO?
>> SO, I THINK THAT IT IS
IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE SOME
LEVEL OF PRIVILEGE AND LUCK THAT
HAS BROUGHT US HERE AND THINK
ABOUT HOW WE CAN MOBILIZE THAT
PRIVILEGE TO BE IN SERVICE OF
OTHERS WHO CAN'T BE IN THE
SPACES OR THAT ARE SET UP IN
WAYS THAT THEY ARE UNAVAILABLE
TO THEM.
AND DECOLONIZATION WORK IS NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE EASY.
IF IT FEELS EASY, YOU ARE
MISSING SOMETHING AND WE FEEL
THIS ALL THE TIME IN OUR WORK.
IF TINKERING AROUND THE EDGES,
THAT IS NOT DECOLONIZATION AT
LEAST NOT THE WAY I SEE IT.
THAT MEANS NAMING THAT THERE ARE
REAL CHALLENGES GOING ON IN THE
WORLD BEYOND WHAT WE SEE AS
HISTORICAL HARMS AND
COLONIZATION AND NEOCOLONIALISM
ARE FACTORS CREATING TRAUMA FOR
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS GOING ON IN
ISRAEL PALESTINE AND SAY IF YOU
HAVE ABILITY TO SPEAK UP AND
CALL FOR A CEASE FIRE, THAT IS A
WAY TO MOBILIZE YOUR PRIVILEGE.
I FEEL LIKE I WOULD NOT BE USING
MY VALUES AND PARTICULARLY MY
VALUES AS AN AMERICAN JEW IF I
DIDN'T NAME THAT ISSUE AND HOPE
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
DECOLONIZATION WE CAN TALK
DIRECTLY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT
MATTER IN THIS SPACE.
>> KATHERINE?
>> YEAH. WITH ALL OF THE POWER
IN THIS ROOM, ONE THING THAT I
WOULD LOVE TO POINT OUT THAT I
THINK IS SO IMPORTANT IS
INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING
THAT IS EARMARKED FOR
INVESTIGATORS FOR LOWER AND
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AND IN
MY OPINION IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL
KINDS OF GRANTS AND ESPECIALLY
MY EXPERIENCE AT SHAMIRI
TRAINING GRANTS WORKING AT
SHAMIRI I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY
TALENTED SKILLED RESEARCHERS AND
BUDDING RESEARCHERS LIVING IN
LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME
COUNTRIES AND MANY FOCUSED ON
MENTAL HEALTH SPECIFICALLY AND
HEARD FROM LOTS OF PEOPLE IT CAN
BE REALLY HARD TO FIND AN
APPROPRIATE PROGRAM TO GIVE YOU
FUNDING TO GET YOUR OWN TRAINING
AND SORT OF BECOME A RESEARCHER
IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SPACE
COMING FROM LOWER OR MIDDLE
INCOME COUNTRY AND THINK I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE A TRAINING GRANT
THAT OR SEVERAL TRAINING GRANTS
AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE AND MAYBE
NOT ONLY PEOPLE IN PHD OR MD
PROGRAMS.
IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD MAYBE
SYSTEMS ARE NOT QUITE THE SAME
AS THEY ARE IN THE US AND BEST
WAY TO GET INTO THIS WORK
WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE PHD OR
MD PROGRAM AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT
PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY MOTIVATED
AND SMART AND WANT TO DO THIS
EXCELLENT WORK, I WOULD LOVE TO
SEE A TRAINING GRANT THAT WOULD
AFFORD THEM TIME AND RESOURCES
AND MENTORSHIP THAT THEY WOULD
NEED TO REALLY BECOME GREAT
RESEARCHERS.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT
COULD ABSOLUTELY DO IT AND WOULD
LOVE TO DO IT.
YEAH.
>> SOME OF MY SUGGESTIONS THOSE
ARE EXCELLENT SUGGESTIONS. OURS
IS THERE NEEDS TO BE GREATER
MINDFULNESS AND AWARENESS FROM
FUNDERS AND TRENDS AND CALLS AND
STYLES OF OPERATIONS THAT
GENERATE THAT ARE HARMFUL TO
ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCHERS IN
KIND OF MARGINALIZED SETTINGS
THAT MIGHT MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS
AND DON'T MEAN THEM FOR LMICS
AND POCKETS OF MARGINALIZATION
ELSEWHERE AND SOME TRENDS MAKE
IT HARD FOR PEOPLE TO PUT OUT
IDEAS THAT ARE NOVEL. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE DIVERSE SET OF
REVIEWERS AND GRANT REVIEWS MUST
HAVE PEOPLE RELATING TO MATERIAL
CONDITIONS AND THEME OF
CONFERENCE IS SOCIAL
DETERMINANCE, IT IS IMPERATIVE
TO CHANGE THOSE PATTERNS BECAUSE
THEY ARE REGRESSIVE AND DON'T
PROMOTE NEW IDEAS AND KNOWLEDGE.
I CONSIDER YOU TO HAVE NEW CALLS
AND MECHANISMS AND INVEST IN
FUNDING DEVELOPMENTATION
FRAMEWORKS AND MANY OTHERS THAT
ARE GREAT BUT HIGH INCOME
COUNTRY CONTEXT FRAMEWORKS AND
THEY ARE VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND
WE ALWAYS OUR STRUGGLE IS USING
AND MAPPING LIFE STRUGGLES AND
POPULOUS WE STUDY WITHIN THEM
AND INVEST A LITTLE BIT
DEVELOPING FRAMEWORKS THAT
EMANATE FROM THE GROUND AND
THIRD THING DOING AWAY FROM
CULTURE FIGURE TYPE TENDENCIES
GLOBAL HEALTH HAS AND MENTAL
HEALTH AND PERSONALITY TYPE
LOADED DISCIPLINE AND THEORISTS
ARE PASSIONATE PROMOTING IDEAS
AND RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCH
TEAMS AND NEED DIVERSITY THERE
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU DO NOT
ATTEND TO THESE THINGS YOU WILL
SEE MINIMIZING INNOVATION AND
NEW THINKING COMING IN WAY AND
IS ACTION FOR ALL OF US APPEAL
TO FUNDERS AND PEOPLE IN
IMPORTANT POSITIONS OF
INFLUENCING KIND OF WORK THAT
TAKES PLACE AND ARE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS I HAVE TO SHARE
WITH YOU.
>> FANTASTIC AND MASSIVE THANK
YOU TO ALL PANELISTS AS WELL AND
AS SESSION HAS BEEN GOING ON WE
HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS COMING
IN THAT HAVE BEEN SEPTEMBER
THROUGH HERE AND GOING THROUGH A
FEW OF THEM WE HAVE TIME TO GO
THROUGH A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE
WE CLOSE UP AND ONE QUESTION IS
ABOUT LOOKING AFTER YOURSELVES
AND WHILE DOING THIS WORK THAT
IS A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION I
THINK.
HOW DO WE DIRECTED TO EVERYONE
ON THE STAGE. HOW DO WE SUPPORT
OURSELVES WHILE BEING ABLE TO DO
WORK IN WAY THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT
WITH VALUES TO OPEN TO ANYONE ON
STAGE TO START US OFF.
>> I'M HAPPY TO START US OFF.
SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SEEN AND
THAT I THINK OTHERS IN THE ROOM
MAY HAVE SEEN IS THAT SOMETIMES
ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON MENTAL
HEALTH ARE WORST PLACES FOR YOUR
MENTAL HEALTH.
>> TOO MANY PEOPLE.
>> WOW. I STRUCK A NERVE. SO,
I THINK REALLY CHALLENGING WE
PUT SO MUCH PRESSURE ON
OURSELVES AND SEE WORK WE DO AS
IMPORTANT AND REMEMBERING THAT
WE HAVE TO BE IN THIS FOR LONG
HALL AND OUR MODEL IS BASED AT
MUN COMMUNITY CARE AND SELF-CARE
AND COMMUNITY CARE ARE DIRECTLY
INTERTWINED AND WE HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO RELY ON EACH OTHER AND
BUILDING IN WHAT WE CALL IN
BUSINESS REDUNDANCIES TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE HAVE SUPPORT THEY
NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF TO DO
THINGS THAT BRING THEM JOY AND
HOPEFULLY WORK BRINGS THEM JOY
TOO. IT CAN'T JUST BE THAT.
>> GREAT. FOR ME IT IS ABOUT
FINDING AND PRACTICING
MEANINGFUL HOPE.
SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE THAT
GIVES YOU A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW,
PURPOSE OUTSIDE OF JUST YOUR
WORK; RIGHT?
AND SO FOR ME THAT IS WRITING
AND IT HELPS ME STAY GROUNDED.
YEAH.
>> I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS.
ONE IS I REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT
TO GET ENOUGH SLEEP EVEN WHEN
I'M BUSY AND FOR ME MAKES A
DIFFERENCE AS DOES EATING AND
EXERCISING THAT ARE BASIC AND
HELP ME A LOT. THE OTHER THING
IS LIKE I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT
THIS WORK THAT WHEN I FEEL I
HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AND
OFTEN FEEL THAT WAY, I CAN FEEL
REALLY GUILTY ABOUT IT FOR A
LONG TIME.
SO, I HAVE STARTED, YOU KNOW, IT
WAS HARD FOR ME TO SAY, OKAY. I
DID THAT WRONG. I NEED TO MOVE
ON AND FOUND IF I CAN LOOK AT IT
AND SAY HERE ARE TWO OR TWO
THINGS I CAN DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT
TIME TO HELP MAKE UP FOR THIS
MISTAKE OR HELP ME DO THIS
APPROPRIATELY NEXT TIME THAT CAN
HELP ME MOVE ON AND IMPROVE
MYSELF FOR THE FUTURE AND AT
LEAST ACCEPT TO SOME EXTENT I
HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AND
WILL FREQUENTLY IN THIS SPACE
AND HARD TO DO THINGS AS WELL AS
WOW WANT TO ALL THE TIME
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CARE ABOUT
IT DEEPLY WHICH I KNOW A LOT OF
US DO.
>> I THINK IT IS A WORK IN
PROGRESS WHEN YOU LEARN NEW
THINGS EVERYDAY.
>> I AT THIS STAGE IN MY LIFE
I'M IN MID CAREER STAGE NOW I
WOULD LIKE TO SURROUND MYSELF
WITH RESEARCHERS I CAN CHAIR
CHALLENGES AND FRIENDS I CAN
SHARE CHALLENGES THAT IS A
SELF-CARE STRATEGY THAT SEEMS TO
BE WORKING.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK TO ANSWER
MYSELF AS WELL TWO THINGS
QUICKLY POP TO MIND. ONE IS
RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FAITH AND
PRACTICING SEEK PERSON AND
GROUND ME AND REALIGN ME TO
VALUES GIVING ME A SENSE OF
ROUTINE AS WELL AND OTHER THING
I'M A BIG SPORTS FAN AND WATCH
FOOTBALL AND SOCCER THAT IS BOTH
GOOD AND BAD FOR MY MENTAL
HEALTH.
>> YEAH.
>> [LAUGHING].
>> SOMETIMES GOOD AND SOMETIMES
NOT SO GOOD BUT FIND MYSELF
WATCHING IT WHICH IS A PROBABLY
UNHEALTHY COPING STRATEGY AND
OTHER THINGS THAT POP UP FOR ME
AS WELL.
LY DO TWO QUICK QUESTIONS BEFORE
WE FINISH UP.
THERE IS A REALLY COOL QUESTION
HERE BY SOMEONE ON THE FORM THAT
IS WHAT IS ONE QUESTION FOR DEEP
REFLECTION THAT YOU HOPE THAT
ATTENDEES WALK AWAY WITH TODAY?
>> >> GOOD QUESTION.
>> I CAN GO FOR IT.
>> I HAVE ONE.
>> GO FOR IT.
>> I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT
THIS. WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLE OR YOU HAVE DONE
OR THOUGHT ABOUT SOMETHING WRONG
AND YOU MENTIONED AT THE
BEGINNING BUT AS A WHITE PERSON
HERE I THINK ABOUT THAT A LOT
AND WONDER LIKE YOU SAID SHOULD
I EVEN BE UP HERE?
MAYBE NOT IN SOME WAYS AND
OTHERS YES I CARE ABOUT THIS
WORK AND I CAN HELP ADVOCATE AND
YEAH. I WOULD -- I HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT LIKE WHAT MADE ME
FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND WHAT CAN
THAT HELP ME REALIZE ABOUT
MYSELF AND WHAT I'M DOING AND
COULD DO BETTER?
>> ONLY THING I WOULD SAY THAT I
THINK YOU ARE FULLY ENTITLED TO
BE HERE AND PLEASE TODAY SHARE
THIS WITH YOU. I MEANT THAT
[INDISCERNIBLE] MEANS.
>> YEAH.
>> IT HAS A MEANING FOR ALL OF
US.
BUT I THINK THAT GOING AND
ENTERING INTO COUNTRIES THINKING
THAT WE WILL UPLIFT PEOPLE LET'S
START WITH IT WILL UPLIFT SDERM
AND THAT IS FINE TO START WITH
THAT AND DON'T THINK COUNTRIES
HAVE BEEN UPLIFTED AS MUP AS WE
BELIEVE DEBRA IS HERE AND CAN
SHOW YOU STATISTICS ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH POLICICY AND MANY
COUNTRIES DON'T HAVE IT AND WORK
WE DO ENTERING INTO POLICY
PIPELINE AND CONSCIOUSNESS AND
LEDGER OF POLITICAL MASTERS IS
STILL A LONG JOURNEY. THAT
RECOGNITION IS IMPORTANT AND NO
THE TO SAY WE DON'T DO GOOD WORK
I THINK BUT CONSCIOUSNESS IS
IMPORTANT. THANKS.
>> QUICKLY TO ADD, I THINK
PERHAPS YOU KNOW WHAT -- WHAT
MADE YOU THINK IN THIS SESSION
THAT YOU STILL HAVE MORE TO
LEARN?
LIKE WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU STILL
HAVE?
AND WHAT VOICES OUTSIDE OF THE
SORT OF TYPICAL ONES YOU GO TO
CAN YOU SEEK OUT TO CONTINUE TO
LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO
DECOLONIZE WORK YOU DO?
>> GREAT. FOR ME WORK THAT IS
MEANINGFUL CO-CREATION AND THAT
IS A WORD THROWN A LOT
CO-CREATING AND CHECKING A BOX
IN MEANINGFUL WAY AND WHAT IT
WILL LOOK LIKE IN EACH OF OUR
WORK. GREAT. COOL.
YEAH. I THINK THAT WE ARE OUT
OF TIME. WE WANT TO THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR REALLY LISTENING
ATTENTIVELY TO US TOED AND
SENDING IN QUESTIONS AND WOULD
LIKE TO THANK THE PANEL FOR
BEING HERE WITH US AND WOULD
LIKE TO THANK NICOLE AND
[INDISCERNIBLE] CANADA TEAM FOR
PUTTING TOGETHER THIS
CONFERENCE.
WE HAVE A RESOURCE SHEET
SOMEWHERE.
>> IT WILL BE SENT.
>> IT WILL BE SENT OUT. IN
RESOURCE SHEET WE HAVE
EVERYONE'S E-MAILS AND
RECOMMENDED READINGS CURATED
FROM BY EACH OF THE PANELISTS
AND HOPE THAT THIS IS THE
BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION
AND NOT THE END OF THE
CONVERSATION. THANKS SO MUCH
AND HAVE A GOOD ONE.
>> AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
THAT INSIGHTFUL AND MEANINGFUL
CONVERSATION AND YOU HAVE GIVEN
US A LOT TO REFLECT ON AND THINK
ABOUT OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND
WE ARE TRANSITIONING INTO A
BREAK AND MOVING TO CONCURRENT
SESSIONS AT 11. SO, FOR THE
NEXT 10 MINUTES TAKE SOME TIME
AND STRETCH LEGS AND IF YOU
WEREN'T ABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR
BADGE BEFORE IT STARTED PLEASE
DO SO. YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE AND
WE WILL SEE YOU IN A FEW MINUTES.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE HERE
ON STAGE DEVORA KASTEL.
SHE NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION BUT
WE'LL GIVE SPACE FOR
INTRODUCTIONS.
IT WILL BE THE FIRST OF
HOPEFULLY MANY GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH CONVERSATIONS.
ONE OF THE STRIKING FEATURES OF
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AT
LEAST IN MY OPINION IN THE LAST
DECADE OR SO, IS IS WHILE THE
FIELD IS GROWING IN TERMS OF
RESEARCHERS AND PUBLICATIONS, WE
NEED TO STILL MAKE PROGRESS IN
DIFFERENT DOMAINS OF IMPACT.
AND THIS GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL TRY TO
BRIDGE SCIENCE WITH POLICY AND
SCIENCE WITH ACTION ON THE
GROUND WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS IT WE CAN DO BETTER AND
WHAT WE CAN DO MORE OF.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY.
>> A PLEASURE.
>> I WAS SHARING EARLIER THESE
INTIMATE AS IT IS BEING LIVE
STREAMED.
>> THANKS FOR THAT REMINDER.
>> YOU ARE FROM AR GEN TINA --
ARGENTINA WHAT HAPPENED?
>> WE WON THE WORLD CUP FOR THE
THIRD TIME.
>> ANY WORDS FROM THE BRIL --
BRAZIL ANS IN THE AUDIENCE.
LET'S BEGIN THE CONVERSATION BY
GETTING TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT
AS A COLLEAGUE AND AS A PERSON.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOURSELF.
>> THANK YOU.
THE WAY YOU SAY YOU SPEAK SLOW,
I SPEAK FAST IN ANY LANGUAGE AND
THIS ONE I DON'T SPEAK THAT FAST
SO MAYBE WHEN I SPEAK FAST YOU
WON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M
SAYING.
SORRY, I CAN'T CHANGE THAT.
I'M FROM ARGENTINA.
BORN AND RAISED.
I STUDY IED AND I STUDIED
PSYCHOLOGY AT THE TIME I STUDIED
PSYCHOLOGY WAS SIX YEARS LONG
CAREERS.
I GOT A MASTER'S DEGREE, LET'S
SAY.
AND TWO SITUATIONS COMING FROM
THAT AND ONE IS WHY WOULD
SOMEONE HAVE A CONDITION WHILE
SOMEONE ELSE GOING INTO SIMILAR
SITUATION MIGHT NOT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
THAT HIT ME SIGNIFICANTLY WAS
WHY ARE WE TREATING THEM IN THAT
WAY?
WHY PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITION NEED TO LIVE THERE IN
A PSYCHOTIC INSTITUTION AND WHEN
I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT SOME POINT
WAS OF 100 PEOPLE LIVING IN TWO
MAIN PLACES AND THEY PUT TWO IN
THE BED IF ONE WAS CATATONIC AND
MAYBE THERE WEREN'T ROOM ENOUGH
FOR OTHERS.
THAT HAPPENS IN THE WORLD MANY
OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS STILL
HAPPEN.
AFTER I FINISH I WAS
VOLUNTEERING WHILE STUDYING AND
THEN STARTED TO WORK THERE
HOW TO DO THINGS DIFFERENT AND
HOW COULD BE A COUNTRY OR TOWN
IN THAT CASE WOULD NOT NEED A
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL AND WHAT WE
CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT.
SOON AFTER GRADUATING I WENT FOR
THE VISIT TO EUROPE AND THAT
VISIT ENDED UP ME LIVING IN
ITALIA FOR 10 YEARS WHERE I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE MOST
SEVERE PEOPLE -- CONDITIONS,
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, PEOPLE
WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
COULD LEAVE AND THE COMMUNITY
COULD HAVE A LIFE LIKE ANYBODY
ELSE.
OF COURSE, THAT THEN CHANGED THE
WAY THE PRIORITIES, THE ISSUES
FROM THEN ON.
IN A WAY, AND 30 YEARS IN THAT
CAREER APPOINTED IN THE DIRECTOR
OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THOUGHT I
HAD TO DO THAT JOB BECAUSE OF
THOSE PEOPLE.
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHATEVER
WE CAN IN ORDER TO AVOID PEOPLE
BE PENALIZED BECAUSE OF A
CONDITION.
IT'S MENTAL NOT PHYSICAL.
WE DON'T HAVE HOSPITALS FOR
PEOPLE WITH DIABETES AND LOCK
THEM DOWN 30 YEARS BUT STILL DO
THAT FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL
HEALTH CONDITIONS.
IN A WAY THAT WAS THE LINK
BETWEEN ONE POINT AND THE OTHER.
SORRY.
>> NO, THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF I MAY HAVE
NOTICED THIS BUT I SENSE YOUR
VOICE WAS BREAKING UP AT SOME
POINT AND --
>> YEAH, BECAUSE FOR ME I THINK
MAYBE EARLIER IN ONE OF THE
PANELS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
EQUITY AND JUSTICE AND RIGHTS.
TO ME THOSE ARE VALUES THAT GO
BEYOND ANY SPECIFIC AREA OR
BEYOND ANY -- I WOULD SAY
TECHNICAL -- THEY'RE EMBEDDED IN
MY BELIEF.
IT'S WHAT I AM AND WHAT I FEEL
AND WHAT I THINK.
AND I THINK WE ARE SO BEHIND IN
MENTAL HEALTH IN TREATING PEOPLE
IN SUCH A WAY AS IF THEY HAD
DONE SOMETHING WRONG AND WE
DON'T NEED TO CARE ABOUT THEM.
WE JUST NEED TO FORGET THEY
EXIST.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE
EXTREME OF INSTITUTIONS IN
GENERAL BUT THAT'S NOT SO
EXTREME IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT
DO NOT GET ACCESS TO ANY
TREATMENT.
THAT'S ALL.
EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT LOCKED IN AN
INSTITUTION SO YEAH, FOR ME,
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I DO WHAT
I DO.
>> YOU BROUGHT THAT LENS TO
PRIOR GOING TO W.H.O. YOU SPENT
TIME AT THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH
ORGANIZATION.
>> YES.
>> HOW IS THAT PERSPECTIVE WITH
WANTING TO HELP THE
INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND RIGHTS
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH COMMON
MENTAL DISORDERS?
>> BEFORE THAT IS THAT FROM
ITALY I JOINED AFTER THE WAR IN
W.H.O. AND THEN I WENT TO
ALBANIA WORKING FOR W.H.O. AND
BRINGING THOSE EXPERIENCES
BECAUSE IN THE AFTER MATH OF AN
EMERGENCY WE WERE HAVING
RESOURCES THAT COULD GIVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM THE
SITUATION.
SO BY THE TIME I GET TO THE
CARIBBEAN FIRST AND THEN HERE TO
WASHINGTON.
I HAVE ACCUMULATED THE
EXPERIENCE OF HIGH-INCOME
COUNTRY THAT WAS LIVING A
PROCESS OF REFORM GLOBALLY LIKE
ITALY AT THE TIME UNTIL NOW
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES AND
LOOKING AT SITUATIONS WITH
LOW-RESOURCE SETTINGS HIT BY
SERIOUS ISSUES SUCH AS A WAR OR
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND
ACCUMULATE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SEE
SITUATIONS DIFFERENT IN
MODALITIES THAT PEOPLE
IDENTIFIED TO OVERCOME THE
CHALLENGES AT THE END OF THE
DAY.
SO IN LATIN AMERICA ONE OF THE
PECUL
PECULIARITIES IS THERE'S BEEN
AMAZING REFORM IN THE
INSTITUTION.
IN BRAZIL AND SMALLER COUNTRIES
AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW AND
DESPITE THE RIVALRY IN FOOTBALL
THEY DECREASED THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS
BEHIND A NETWORK OF
COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES AND THE REGION HAD
ALREADY STRONG EXPERIENCES BUT
NOT EVERYWHERE.
NOT FINALIZED.
NOT FULLY ACCOMPLISHED.
SO WE TRY TO PROMOTE THAT USING
THAT KNOWLEDGE TO FURTHER EXPAND
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COUNTRIES
TO DEVELOP AN ALTERNATIVE
NETWORK OF SERVICES.
>> AND THE INSTITUTION TO W.H.O.
WAS A 2000 --
>> END OF 2000 IN KOSOVO.
>> HOW HAS IT BEEN THE LAST FOUR
YEARS.
>> ALMOST FIVE BUT WHO'S
COUNTING?
IT'S BEEN INTENSE.
JUST YESTERDAY I WAS SAYING TO
FRIENDS THAT THE FIRST YEAR WAS
THE FIRST YEAR SO IT WAS I THINK
ANYONE ENGAGING, STARTING A NEW
JOB, FIRST YEAR IS DIFFICULT
BECAUSE OF NEW THINGS TO LEARN.
MY SECOND YEAR WAS THE FIRST
YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC SO IT WAS
EXTREMELY INTENSE WORK.
DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND FROM
OUR SIDE BEYOND THE CHALLENGES
WE WERE GOING THROUGH AND THE
PERSONAL ISSUES WE WENT THROUGH
WAS EXTREMELY INTENSE IN TERMS
OF JOB DEMAND FROM COUNTRIES.
IT WAS NOT THE FIRST COVID AND
INTENSE IN PART I THINK WE MAY
ALL AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC THE
ATTENTION GREW DRAMATICALLY
EXPONENTIALLY AND NOT
NECESSARILY FROM THE RESOURCES
BUT FROM OUR STANDPOINT WE GET
MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES THAT
WANT TO ADVANCE IN MENTAL HEALTH
AND CHANGE THE SITUATION WHAT
THEY PERCEIVE FROM THE
POPULATION BUT NOT NECESSARILY
KNOWING HOW TO AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT THOSE
PROCESSES.
ANSWERING IT'S BEEN INTENSE BUT
I CAN SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST
FIVE YEARS AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL
PROUD OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
YOU SAY IT'S GOING WELL.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK WE HAVE -- WELL,
BEFORE IN THIS ROOM WAS A
PLENARY -- A SESSION ABOUT SOME
OF THE TOOLS DEVELOPED
IMPLEMENTED BY A RESULT PARTNERS
NOT WITH OUR ENGAGEMENT AND
SOMETHING CONCRETE THE SPECIFIC
RECEIVES MADE AVAILABLE AND OPEN
ACCESS MADE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE
WHO NEEDS THEM.
THAT MEANS USING THE KNOWLEDGE
AND TOOLS DEVELOPED AND BRING
THEM AND TRY TO DISCUSSION THEM
AND REVIEW THEM AND TOE DO OTHER
TRIALS THAT ARE CULTURALLY
RELEVANT AND SOME OF THOSE
PROCESSES WERE STUDIIES THAT HAE
BEEN CONSOLIDATED AND BROADLY
USED.
WHEN I JOINED THE TEAM I SAID WE
SHOULD MOVE BEYOND THE USUAL
SUSPECTS AND I'M NOT A SCIENTIST
BUT WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO THE
BEST OF YOU ALL AND THAT'S A
LUXURY WE HAVE BUT WERE USING
THE SAME PEOPLE FROM THE SAME
BACKGROUNDS AND NEEDED TO EXPAND
THAT TO MAKE SURE WE OPEN UP TO
OTHER CONTEXTS THOUGH IT'S MORE
DIFFICULT SOMETIMES, LANGUAGE
BARRIERS AND BARRIERS IN GENERAL
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
CHANGE.
YOU SEE MORE NEW FACES JOINING
US FOR DIFFERENT PROCESSES OR
PROJECTS AND REQUESTS AND BASED
ON REQUESTS WE RECEIVE REGULARLY
ARE CALLED MEMBER STATES.
BASED ON THOSE REQUESTS WE
RECEIVE, I THINK WE HEAR MORE
CAREFULLY WHAT WE'RE ASKED TO DO
SO WHATEVER WE DEVELOPED WE
TRIED TO THEN PROVIDE THE TOOLS
NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE
TOOLS THAT ARE DEVELOPED.
IT'S NOT JUST THE SCIENCE.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH W.H.O. FOR OVER 20
YEARS AND WOULD GO ONCE A YEAR
TO MEET THE COLLEAGUES IN GENEVA
AND SAY WHO ARE YOU WORKING WITH
AND IT'S FANTASTIC IN TERMS OF
SCIENCE BUT WHO HAS THE CAPACITY
WITHIN A COUNTRY TO REACH OUT
AND KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
LOW-INCOME COUNTRY SUDDEN HAVE
THE TIME IT SAY SEE WHAT W.H.O.
HAS TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT AND
SEE WHAT CAN I DO TO USE IT.
AND FURTHER DEVELOP AS NEEDED.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING IS SOMEWHERE
TRANSLATING THE HARDCORE SCIENCE
INTO LANGUAGE AND WHAT IS USABLE
FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON THE
GROUND AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
NATIONAL LEVELS.
>> INCLUDING THE MANY
INSTRUMENTS THAT OR TOOLS
DEVELOPED FOR A TASK AND
SHIFTING FOR TRAINING PRIMARY
CARE PRACTITIONERS AND
INTERVENTIONS SO DEVELOPING
THOSE TOOLS AND ALSO THE
TRAINING PACKAGES.
ALSO HOW TO IMPLEMENT THOSE.
IT GOES BEYOND JUST PRESENTING
BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT AND TRYING
TO FIND THE CAPACITIES TO
CONVENE MEETINGS AND BRING THAT
ACTUALLY TO THE GROUND.
>> WONDERFUL.
ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES AND
REASONS WE WANTED TO START THIS
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH
CONVERSATION TO YOU IS I GUESS
THE FOLLOWING QUESTION, WE ARE
HERE WITH AN AUDIENCE OF
RESEARCHERS AND SOME HAVE A
QUESTION IN MIND.
WHAT KIND OF SCIENCE -- WHAT
KIND OF RESEARCH IS MOST USEFUL
TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AT W.H.O.?
>> IF WE LOOK AT WHAT COUNTRIES
ARE ASKING US I WOULD SAY ONCE A
YEAR AT LEAST AT THE LEVEL OF
THE SENIOR MINISTRIES OF HEALTH
REPRESENTATION IN GENEVA AND
ASKING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE
POPULATION.
WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF THE
SCIENCE IS HOW CAN WE DO THAT
BETTER AND THE EASIEST ANSWER IS
WE NEED IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE
AND MAKE WE'LL MAKE USE OF THE
NEW TREATMENTS AND WE NEED THAT
BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE NEED TO
ANSWER TO THOSE NEEDS NOW
BECAUSE THERE ARE TOOLS
AVAILABLE.
THERE IS KNOWLEDGE AND EVIDENCE.
WE HEARD SOME NOT VERY POSITIVE
COMMENTS ON EVIDENCE BUT THERE'S
THINGS WE KNOW WORK AND NOT
KNOWN OR USED AT A COUNTRY
LEVEL.
THAT IS -- THAT'S THE
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE ON HOW DO
YOU MAKE USE OF THAT THAT WE
KNOW SERVES MANY AND HOW DO WE
USE IT IN A GIVEN COUNTRY?
HOW DO COUNTRIES MAKE USE OF
THAT.
THAT IS NEEDED AND ALSO WHAT IS
VERY LIMITED RESEARCH AVAILABLE
IS IN TERMS OF SERVICES.
HOW TO ORGANIZATION SERVICES AND
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
WE PRODUCED A REPORT A WORLD
MENTAL HEALTH REPORT THAT --
THAT PICTURE COMES FROM THERE.
I KNOW IT.
WE RECOGNIZE.
ONE OR THE OTHER I DON'T KNOW
WHO'S COMING FROM WHERE BUT WE
PRODUCED THIS REPORT TRYING TO
CREATE -- MAKE SAYSIBLE THE
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE NOW.
BUT THERE'S LIMITED EVIDENCE OR
KNOWLEDGE OR ANY RESEARCH IN THE
FIELD OF SERVICE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING AND WORKING
ON AND LISTENING TO THIS CONCEPT
OF TASK SHARING AND TASK
SHIFTING -- SORRY, MY ENGLISH --
IT'S HARD TO PRONOUNCE BUT
THAT'S IT.
WE DON'T KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT
THAT.
WE TALK ABOUT UNIVERSAL HEALTH
COVERAGE AND PRIMARY HEALTH
CARE.
WE TALK ABOUT HEALTH SERVICES.
WHAT'S THE SCIENCE THERE?
WE USE THE EVIDENCE OF COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE DONE IT AND IT WORKED
FOR THEM AND YOU HAVE IN THAT
REPORT A LOT OF EXAMPLES.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
THINK IS NEEDED.
>> BEFORE WE GOT ON STAGE WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL
SCALE AND SO MANY COUNTRIES AT A
GIVEN MONTH.
YOU TALKED TO MANY POLICY MAKERS
AND MANY PEOPLE ON THE GROUND IN
DIFFERENT LATITUDES.
YOU JUST A MINUTE AGO SAID
SOMETHING LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF
EVIDENCE FOR MANY INTERVENTIONS
YET THEY'RE NOT BEING DELIVERED
ON TO THE GROUND.
WHAT'S THE OTHER FACTORS THAT
COULD PLAY A ROLE IN
EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS.
>> FUNDING IS NOT A MINOR ISSUE
WHEN THERE'S NO RESOURCES
AVAILABLE AND ACCORDING TO THE
DATA FROM THREE YEARS AGO THE
MAJORITY OF COUNTRIES SPEND MOST
OF THE HEALTH BUDGET TO MENTAL
HEALTH IS SPENT ON PSYCHIATRIC
INSTITUTIONS.
THERE'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO DO
ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT IS A BIG ISSUE.
A BIG GAP.
DATA IS ANOTHER ENORMOUS GAP.
WE KNOW VERY LITTLE OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING FROM ANY PERSPECTIVE
YOU WANT TO LOOK AT.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR IN
THE DIRECTION BUT WE ARE WORKING
ON TRYING TO MAKE A NEW
INDICATOR FOR MENTAL HEALTH
COUNTRIES HAVE TO RESPOND TO AND
THERE'S A NUMBER OF ISSUES MANY
OF US FOR 10 YEARS OR MORE AND
THERE'S NO DATA AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER GAP.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO
SHOW AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY DATA
IS IMPORTANT BUT COUNTRIES DON'T
HAVE THAT.
DON'T HAVE THE ADVANCEMENT OF
WHAT IS NEEDED AND THE KNOW-HOW
IS MISSING.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED MORE CONCRETE
EXAMPLES, CONCRETE HOPEFULLY NEW
RESEARCH THAT CAN TELL THAT FOR
EXAMPLE THE INTEGRATION OF
MENTAL HEALTH IN PRIMARY CARE
WILL BE BETTER IF INSTEAD OF
TRAINING EVERYONE WE HAVE A GAP
WHICH IS A TOOL WE DEVELOPED AND
IS VERY POWERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL.
IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED IN OVER
100 COUNTRIES BUT INSTEAD OF
MASSIVELY TRAINING EVERYONE ON
THE GAP MAYBE THERE'S OTHER
STRATEGIES THAT COULD BE USED.
SPEAKING OF TRAVELLING, LAST
WEEK I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
GOING TO UKRAINE TO KYIV TO A
MENTAL HEALTH FORUM WITH THE
W.H.O. AND AMAZING TO HEAR THE
WORK THEY'RE DOING IN KYIV AND
UKRAINE BEFORE THE CONFLICT AND
WHEN THE CONFLICT THEY
POTENTIATE WHAT IS GOING ON AND
TRANSFORM IT INTO PROVIDING
PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THE
AFFECTED POPULATION AND THE
FIRST LADY TOOK OVER THE PROCESS
AND THE PROJECT AND THEY ARE
LAUNCHING IT AND FUND RAISING
SUCCESSFULLY FOR IT AND SO
THEY'RE MASSIVELY TRAINING ON
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT
AND HAVING COMMUNITY TEAM THAT
ARE DEPLOYED EVERY WHERE AND WE
DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A GOOD
STRATEGY OR SOMETHING WE COULD
HAVE ADVISED BETTER.
THIS IS THE WORLD MENTAL HEALTH
REPORT OF LAST YEAR.
THOSE WHO CAN ACCESS IT ONLINE
OR ARE A PAPER COPY PAGE 254
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL FIGURE THAT
YOU GUYS TITLED KEY SHIFTS TO
TRANSFORM MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL
YOU SA THE PARALLEL OF 12 AND
HOPEFULLY AFTER WE'LL HAVE
ELIMINATION OF SOCIETY FROM
DISCRIMINATION AND GOING BACK TO
POINT 10 IS ABOUT CARE-CENTERED
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL AS THE
POTENTIALLY CURRENT SITUATION IN
MANY COUNTRIES AND YOU AND YOUR
TEAM ENVISION A FUTURE WHERE
NETWORKS OF COMMUNITY-BASED
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE
PRESENT AND RUNNING TO THE
AUDIENCE.
WHAT KIND OF KNOWLEDGE OF
RESEARCH DO YOU NEED IN W.H.O.
TO FURTHER YOUR WORK ON
DEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY MENTAL
HEALTH BASIS.
WHAT AREAS ARE MISSING?
>> I WOULD LINK IT -- LET ME
LOOK AT THE POINT TOO YOU
MENTIONED ABOUT ADVOCACY AND
WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK
FOR ADVOCACY AND MAYBE WE FIND
OUT WHAT WORKS BETTER FOR THE
PUBLIC OR FOR POLICY MAKERS.
WHAT DO WE NEED THERE AS WELL.
THAT'S POTENTIAL ALSO AREAS FOR
RESEARCH.
FOR THIS ONE AGAIN WE DEVELOPED
THE COMMUNITY -- WE HAVE A
GRAPHIC THERE INVITED TO LOOK AT
WE CALL IT THE BUBBLES.
HOW WE IMAGINE AN IDEA MODEL OF
SERVICES THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE
AREA OF NEEDS OF MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS.
BUT THAT IS DEVELOPED BASED ON
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE COLLECTED
FROM WHAT COUNTRIES ARE DOING
AND WHAT WORKS FOR COUNTRY.
CAN WE HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFIC
KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH THAT
TELLS WHAT IS THE RIGHT
COMBINATION OF SPECIALIZED CARE
VERSUS PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
VERSUS CARE IN THE HOSPITALS
VERSUS THE CARE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS THAT IS NEEDED IN THE
DISTRIBUTE TION -- DISTRIBUTION
OF SERVICE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SERVICES
THAT CAN BE PROVIDED OUTSIDE OF
THE HEALTH SECTOR IN THE
SCHOOLS, IN THE WORKPLACE,
ETCETERA.
THIS IS BASED ON RESEARCH OF
PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE
IN SCHOOLS.
THAT'S ONE.
USUALLY VERY LIMITED EVIDENCE
AVAILABLE AND THERE'S ANOTHER
ONE WITH RESEARCH ON MENTAL
HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE.
LIMITED KNOWLEDGE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF GAPS WHERE EVER.
HOW ALL THIS RELATES AND WHAT IS
MISSING I THINK IS WHAT ARE THE
CONCRETE SUPPORT THAT THE PERSON
WITH DIFFERENT MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS NEEDS AND HOW TO
PROVIDE THOSE NEEDS IN A COUNTRY
WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF
SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONALS OR
RESOURCES IN GENERAL, HOW TO
PROVIDE IN COUNTRIES WHERE YOU
DON'T.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT
INFORMATION.
WE HAVE ISOLATED EXPERIENCES
FROM MANY MANY COUNTRIES, RIGHT.
USUALLY RESEARCH DEVELOPED WAS A
DISCUSSION IN THE PREVIOUS
PANEL.
USUALLY RESEARCH DEVELOPED BY
HIGH-INCOME INSTITUTIONS THAT
ARE THEN IMPLEMENTED IN
LOW-RESOURCE SETTINGS.
AND THEIR ISOLATED AND THIS
INTERVENTION HERE WORKS.
IF WE TALK ABOUT A NETWORK OF
SERVICES BECAUSE WE KNOW THE
PERSON WITH A MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITION WE HAVE DIFFERENT
NEEDS AND IF YOU TALK THIS
NETWORK AND RESEARCH THAT
ANSWERS TO THAT.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING AND PROBABLY
I'M PUTTING THE WRONG WORDS IN
YOUR MOUTH, YES, IMPLEMENTATION
SCIENCE IS RELEVANT AND VERY
RELEVANT FOR THE WORK YOU ARE
DOING BUT WE NEED MORE SERVICES
RESEARCH AND SYSTEMS THINKING
AND SYSTEMS RESEARCH TO BRING
THINGS TOGETHER.
>> I THINK IT'S A GOOD
INTERPRETATION.
>> LET ME FINISH WITH THE
QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE
MIC FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE
FLOOR.
YOU'VE PARTICIPATED IN THE
CONFERENCE A NUMBER OF YEARS
NOW.
YOU'VE BEEN CLEARLY IN THE
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH SPACE FOR
MANY YEARS.
HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE PROGRESS
OR LACK THEREOF OF GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH AND WHERE DID
YOU SEE THE PROGRESS BUT ALSO
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE MAJOR
CHALLENGES IN OUR FIELD?
>> WHEN WE STARTED TO STUDY THE
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH REPORT I
SAID WHAT IF WE GRANT THE GRAND
CHALLENGES STUDY REQUEST AND
LOOK AT THE NEEDS THERE.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT AT THE TIME
THOSE OF US THAT ARE OLD ENOUGH
TO BE INTERVIEWED AT THE TIME
WAS EXCITING AND WAS COLLECTING
PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?
I DON'T REMEMBER THE RESEARCH
DATA.
>> WAS PUBLISHED IN 2011 THE
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
AND OPPORTUNITIES.
>> IT WAS EXCITING AND
PRIORITIES WERE IDENTIFIED AND I
THINK IT MARK MANY OF THE WORK
THAT MANY OF US DID.
WHAT WE WERE TALKING BEFORE
ABOUT THE TASK SHARING OR
SHIFTING AND TOOLS DEVELOPED
FROM THERE I THINK IT'S TIME IT
RENEW.
I DON'T KNOW I HAVE THE ANSWER
OF WHAT IS NEEDED BUT WE NEED TO
PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER AND WHEN
I MEET THE MINISTER OF HEALTH
AND THEY SAY I NEED HELP BECAUSE
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING AND WE
HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING BASED ON
THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE DEVELOPED
UNDERSTANDING OF ANALYSIS OF THE
SITUATION AND THEN THE RESOURCES
AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTRY AND THE
HUMAN RESOURCES DEDICATED TO
MENTAL HEALTH THAT COULD BE PUT
IN PLACE AND START TO PLAN THE
STRATEGY AND GIVE GUIDANCE ON
WHAT IS NEEDED AND HOW BUT I
THINK PULLING THIS TOGETHER IS
WHAT IS MISSING AND MAYBE AS IT
TIME AFTER HAVING DONE THE
REPORT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO CALL
FOR A NEW ROUND OF CHALLENGES
AND COLLECT INFORMATION ON WHAT
IS NEED AND WHAT WE CAN DO
TOGETHER AND FOR YOU TO USE THE
RESEARCH IS THE BEST POSSIBLE
WAY.
>> WE WANT TO SET TIME ASIDE FOR
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR.
ARE THERE ANY THOUGHT OR ANY
QUESTIONS?
PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF, IF YOU DON'T
MIND.
>> TOM HARRISON FROM THE WELCOME
TRUST.
COULD YOU SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S
REALLY EXCITING YOU AT THE
MOMENT?
I GUESS YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON
IT JUST THEN WITH YOUR REMARKS
BUT WHETHER IT'S RESEARCH OR
JUST MENTAL HEALTH AGENDA
POLITICALLY.
I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR THOUGHTS
ON THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK THE LEVEL OF ATTENTION
MENTAL HEALTH IS GETTING TODAY
HAS NEVER HAD BEFORE.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY 100% SURE OF
WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS EXCITING.
MY CONCERN PERHAPS FOR THE ROLE
THAT I HAVE IS THAT I'M GOING TO
BE COLLECTIVELY SMART ENOUGH TO
USE THIS MOMENTUM AND TRANSFORM
ONCE AND FOR ALL THE FIELD OR
ARE WE GOING TO SAY IN FIVE
YEARS, OH, WE LET IT GO.
THE MOMENTUM IS GOING.
IT'S PASSED.
WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES.
NOT AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO SEE
BUT MORE.
WELCOME TRUST WAS NOT ALLOCATING
RESEARCHERS TO MENTAL HEALTH 10
YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION AND
THERE'S OTHERS AS WELL.
WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES.
WE HAVE MORE INTEREST.
WE HAVE A HUGE DEMAND.
COUNTRIES WANT TO CHANGE THE
SITUATION.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE COLLECTIVELY
TO FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE ONE
CAPACITY TO PROVIDE GLOBAL
MENTAL SUPPORT.
THAT'S EXCITING.
>> ANOTHER QUESTION COMING FROM
THIS SIDE?
>> I'M FROM THE NETHERLANDS
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION.
IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING SO
FAR.
MY INTEREST WAS PIQUED ABOUT
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE ATTEMPT
TO DEVELOP AN INDICATOR FOR
GOVERNMENTS TO STEER ON.
AN INDICATOR OF MENTAL HEALTH
AND IT HAD FILLED.
COULD YOU SAY WHAT WAS ATTEMPTED
AND WHY IT FAILED AND MAYBE WHAT
THE NEXT STEP COULD BE?
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO MEASURE FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS COUNTRIES FROM A GLOBAL
MENTAL HEALTH PLAN.
WHAT THE W.H.O. DICTATES AND WE
HAVE MEMBER STATES THAT TELL US
WHAT WE SHOULD DELIVER.
IT'S THERE ALL RIGHT.
THE INDICATOR AND THE NEED TO
MEASURE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL
HEALTH.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED MENTAL
HEALTH CARE RECEIVE THE CARE
THEY NEED.
THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT
BECAUSE THE INFORMATION IS NOT
AVAILABLE AT COUNTRY LEVEL.
THERE'S A NEW ONE COMING OF
GENERAL PROGRAM OF WORK OF THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND
GOOD MORNING WE ARE TRYING TO
SEE HOW WE GET FURTHER INTO THE
MEASUREMENT BUT THE CHALLENGE IS
THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE AN
INDICATOR AND IF SOMEBODY WAS
TALKING ABOUT THE SDG AND THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
AND MENTAL HEALTH IS MENTIONED
THERE AND THE INDICATOR IS ON
SUICIDE PREVENTION.
WE DON'T HAVE PREVENTION ON
MENTAL HEALTH AND THERE'S A
CONDITION TO HAVE AN INDICATOR
COUNTRIES COULD MEASURE
THEMSELVES AGAIN IS THERE SHOULD
BE BASELINE DATA.
IF THERE IS NOT, THERE'S NO WAY
TO FOLLOW-UP.
NOW WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD UP
SOMETHING.
FINGERS CROSSED.
WE MAY GET THERE QUITE SOON THIS
TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
DEVORA AND LEO THIS IS GREAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CAPACITY
BUILD AND MAY STEER US IN A
DIFFERENT DIRECTION BRIEFLY.
DO YOU THINK IT'S WORTH TRAINING
PEOPLE IN BASIC SCIENCES AND
LMICs SO THERE'S A CADRE OF
RESEARCHERS WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE
TO FUTURE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
AND HOPEFULLY DEVELOPMENT OF
INTERVENTIONS.
OUR CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS
ARE MORE ON THE SERVICE END OR
POLITICIAN SCIENCE AND
DEVELOPMENT OF INTERVENTION.
I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE I THINK --
WELL, YEAH, I'LL STOP THERE
>> THANK YOU.
WE NEED TO DO THAT.
>> I'M SURE THERE'S NEED TO DO
THAT TRAINING BUT IF YOU ASK ME
TO PRIORITIZE I THINK IT'S THE
URGENT THING TO DO THAT WHAT WE
KNOW THAT WORKS IS BEING DONE
AND IMPLEMENTS.
AND A CORE PEOPLE WILL STILL
WORK ON BASIC SCIENCE BUT MANY
NEED TO STRENGTHEN THEIR
KNOWLEDGE IN WHAT WE ALREADY
HAVE.
YES, BUT -- THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING
YOUR WISDOM.
EMORY UNIVERSITY.
YOU MENTIONED VARIOUS TIMES THE
TALENT OF LACKING FUNDING.
CURIOUS TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON
WHETHER YOU CONSIDER IT SMART TO
INTEGRATE MENTAL HEALTH TO MORE
GLOBAL HEALTH PRIORITIES SUCH AS
HIV TO ACQUIRE MORE FUNDING FOR
MENTAL HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ABSOLUTELY, YES.
WE DID.
I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITIES OF
COUNTRIES TO DELIVER ON MENTAL
HEALTH AND PROVIDE NEEDS A KEY
STRATEGY IN MY VIEW SHOULD BE
YES, THE INTERVENTION OF MENTAL
HEALTH IN PRIMARY CARE BUT THE
INTEGRATION OF OTHER CONDITIONS
WHERE MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ISSUE
AND HIV, T.B. ARE CLEAR AREAS AS
WELL AS MANY OF THE NCDs AND
LIFE COURSE, CHILDREN, ETCETERA.
WE SHOULD STOP FROM FRAGMENTING
THE APPROACH THAT WE BROUGHT.
WE REPLICATE WHAT THE MEDICINE
DOES IN EVERY PIECE INTO THE
NEEDS AND THE COUNTRY AND IT
DOESN'T WORK AND THAT'S THE
PROOF.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING INTENSELY
WITH A NUMBER OF PARTNERS.
SOME HERE THESE DAYS IN THE
ROOM.
TO ADVOCATE IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE GLOBAL FUND FOR THE
INTEGRATION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND
NCDs AS COMORBIDITY PARTICULARLY
TO HIV AND T.B. LESS MALARIA AND
FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE JUST
REALIZED THAT IN THE FIRST
ROUNDS OF COUNTRIES THAT
SUBMITTED THEIR PROPOSALS TO THE
GLOBAL FUNDS FOR HIV AND T.B.25
HAVE INCLUDED MENTAL HEALTH.
THAT'S AMAZING.
NOW BECAUSE OF THE MECHANISMS OF
THE CHALLENGE IS MAKE SURE IT
GOES TO THOSE COUNTRIES IN
MENTAL HEALTH AND WE HAVE COME
UP WITH GUIDANCE OVER TIME AND
WE HAVE SOME STRATEGIES THAT
WITH HIV AND T.B. WE'RE READY TO
PUT IN PRACTICE AND MAKE SURE IT
GETS SO WE CAN SHOW AND PROVE
YES IT IS USEFUL.
IT IS A POSSIBILITY TO
STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY ALSO
THROUGH THIS OTHER WAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED IT.
>> YOUR ANSWERS MAKE ME QUESTION
WHETHER WE SHOULD ALSO BE
ADDRESSING SOME OF THE NEEDS OF
THE MINISTRIES OF ECONOMY OR
FINANCE NOT ONLY MINISTRIES OF
HEALTH OR PEOPLE WITHIN
MINISTRIES OF HEALTH WORKING IN
MENTAL HEALTH.
IT SEEMED LIKE A MISSED
AUDIENCE, AS IT WERE.
>> WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER BUT
YES ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE INVESTMENT STUDIES AND A
LEARN FROM MY COLLEAGUES IN
COUNTRIES ONE FROM THE AFRICAN
REGION AND SAID WHAT'S MORE
INTERESTING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS THE
PROCESS.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH PARTNERS AND
SENSITIZE THEM OF THE BENEFITS
OF INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DEVORA FOR
JOINING US IN THIS SPACE, IN
THIS CONVERSATION.
WE APPRECIATE IT A LOT.
THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN NOT
ONLY LIVE STREAMED BUT HAS BEEN
RECORDED FOR OTHER AUDIENCES FOR
FUTURE VIEWS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR DEBORAH.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
I HOPE I ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS
YOU HAD.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU DID.
>> I'M ONE OF THE NIH
REPRESENTATIVES AND THIS IS
SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH SCIENCES AND THE NATIONAL
NIMHD.
I'LL LET YOU GOOGLE IT.
WE HAVE A WIDE-RANGING
INITIATIVE FOR SUCH A SMALL
GROUP OF PEOPLE AND I ENCOURAGE
TO YOU GOOGLE NIMHD PROGRAM AND
OR SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND OUR
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND A BUNCH
OF OTHER INFORMATION YOU MIGHT
FIND USEFUL.
WE'LL GET IN THE DETAILS ABOUT
THE PANEL SO I WON'T COVER THAT.
AND I'LL BRIEFLY MENTION WE'RE
EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE AND
EXCITED TO LISTEN TO OUR
FABULOUS PANEL.
AND I PRACTICED.
AT McGILL SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE
COLLABORATING CENTER FOR
RESEARCH AND TRAINING AND MENTAL
HEALTH AND REGULARLY WORKS WITH
GOVERNMENTS AND NGOs ON MENTAL
HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
IN SETTINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE.
SHE CURRENTLY TEACHES GRADUATE
LEVEL CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISK
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT STUDENTS AND
PROFESSIONALS AND LEADS CLIMATE
CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS
RESEARCH PROJECT BRINGING
TOGETHER TEAMS OF
INTERDISCIPLINARY AND
INTERSECTIONAL EXPERTISE.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CLIMATE CHANGE HAS BEEN LABELLED
AS THE GREATEST GLOBAL HEALTH
THREAT AND EXACERBATES MANY OF
THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT
DETERMINE POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING.
YET THERE'S STILL MUCH TO
UNDERSTAND HOW CLIMATE CHANGE
IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW TO
WORK WITH AND SUPPORT
POPULATIONS MOST IMPACTED
GLOBALLY AS CLIMATE RISKS
INTENSIFY.
WHAT DOES THE WORK REQUIRE?
THINKING IN TERMS OF SYSTEMS.
IT REQUIRED CO-DESIGN AND CLOSE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POPULATIONS
MOST HEAVILY AFFECTED BY CLIMATE
CHANGE AND CLOSE COLLABORATION
ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND SECTORS
AND RESOURCES ALLOCATED TO THIS
TOPIC.
TO THAT END I'M THANKFUL FOR
BEING HERE TO DISCUSS THIS AND
COLLABORATORS TO CONTINUE AND
GROW AND DEVELOP THIS IMPORTANT
AREA.
TODAY WE'LL FOCUS ON EXAMINING
EXISTING EVIDENCE AND FUTURE
DIRECTION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
THE LINK BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE
RELATED EXPOSURES AND MENTAL
HEALTH OUTCOMES.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC
S WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH IN
CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND
THOSE IMPACTED BECAUSE OF HIGH
LEVEL EXPOSURE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
HAZARDS OR TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL,
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT
ACTUALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF
ADVERSE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
WE'LL DISCUSS HOW TO USE
EXISTING AND NEW MENTAL HEALTH
AND PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS
AS WELL AS STRATEGIES AND
INTERVENTIONS FROM OTHER SECTORS
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND
MITIGATION AND DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION.
WE'LL DISCUSS HOW TO CARRY OUT
PARTICIPATORY INTERDISCIPLINARY
AND INTERSECTORAL CHANGE IN
MENTAL HEALTH AND DISCUSS KEY
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN
MOBILIZING RESEARCH TO SUPPORT
PRACTICE AND POLICY IN THIS
AREA.
SO ON AN ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE
WE'LL USE SOMETHING CALLED
MENTEE TO SOLICIT QUESTIONS FROM
THE AUDIENCE FOR OUR PANEL
DISCUSSION AT THE END OF THE
SESSION.
THIS WILL BE OPEN THROUGHOUT THE
SESSION AND I'D LIKE TO
ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR
QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME BY GOING
TO MENTEE.com AND ENTERING THE
CODE YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN OR
USING THE QR CODE YOU SEE ON THE
SCREEN.
I'M GOING INTRODUCE EACH OF OUR
WONDERFUL PANELISTS JUST BEFORE
THEY'RE PRESENTATION.
AND SO WOULD FURTHER ADO I'D
LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR
FIRST SPARK.
PROFESSOR FIONA CHARLSON IS A
PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND
RESEARCHER WHO DEDICATED HER
CAREER TO ADDRESSING CHALLENGING
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
QUESTIONS.
SHE FOUNDED AND LEADS THE WORLD
FIRST MENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE
CHANGE TRANS DISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH NETWORK AND IS AT THE
FOREFRONT FOR EFFORTS TO
UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE
MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE.
JOIN ME IN WELCOMING
DR. CHARLSON.
THANK YOU.
I ONLY HAVE SEVEN MINUTES SO
I'LL KEEP A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE KNOW OF
PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE
CHANGE.
GOING BACK TO 2019 NOW AND PUN
LISHED IN 2021 -- PUBLISHED IN
2021 WAS THE START OF COLLEAGUES
INCLUDING JURA AND OTHERS
SCOPING THE PATH FORWARD
ACKNOWLEDGING MENTAL HEALTH AND
CLIMATE CHANGE WERE TIGHTLY
LINKED BUT WHAT DO WE KNOW AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE DON'T
KNOW.
A KEY FINDING WAS THAT WHILST
THERE WAS CLEAR EVIDENCE CLIMATE
CHANGE IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING
MENTAL HEALTH, THERE WAS
RESEARCH IN THE AREA COMPARED TO
OTHER HEALTH AREAS IN THE
CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS LARGEST PROPORTION OF
EVIDENCE WE FOUND IN THE SCOPE
AND REVIEW WAS LOOKING AT
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CLIMATE
IMPACTS OR CLIMATE RISKS AND
MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND IN
TERMS OF THOSE CLIMATE RISKS OR
DIRECT OR INDIRECT CLIMATE RISKS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE BE
HEAT, RAINFALL AND HUMIDITY,
FLOODS AND STORMS.
THESE ARE ALL THE ONES SHOWN TO
HAVE LINKS WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN
THE LITERATURE AND THEN WE HAVE
THE SECONDARY IMPACTS WHICH ARE
PERHAPS MORE CHRONIC AND NOT
QUITE SUBACUTE, PERHAPS.
THESE INCLUDE DROUGHT, SEA LEVEL
RISE, LAND DEGRADATION, AIR
POLLUTION, PHYSICAL HEALTH
HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH
MENTAL HEALTH AND FOOD
INSECURITY.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN
EXHAUSTIVE LIST.
JUST WHAT THE LITERATURE TELLS
US AT THE MOMENT.
THEN WE GO TO THE TERTIARY OR
SOCIETY-WIDE IMPACTS.
THESE OPERATE IN A SYSTEM.
A VERY COMPLEX SYSTEM.
OTHER THINGS THAT DISTALLY
RELATED, DISPLACEMENT AND
MIGRATION AND THE LOSS OF
CONNECTION TO LAND, HEALTH
SYSTEM PRESSURES, REDUCED ACCESS
TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE, REDUCED
ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY,
AGRICULTURAL LOSSES, FINANCIAL
SECURITY, STRAIN ON COHESION AND
SOCIAL CAPITAL IS AN IMPORTANT
ONE.
LOSS OF NATURE, SPACE AND THAT
CONNECTION TO NATURE.
AND AS WE'RE SEEING IN SOME
PARTS OF THE WORLD CONFLICT AND
POLITICAL INSTABILITY.
WHAT ABOUT THE TYPES OF MENTAL
HEALTH OUTCOMES WITHIN THE
LITERATURE.
A LOT OF LITERATURE FOCUSES ON
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND
SYMPTOM SCALES AND THE TRAUMA
RELATED DISORDERS WHY IS PERHAPS
WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IMMEDIATELY
BUT ALSO DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND
SELF HARM AND YOU SIDE.
IN AUSTRALIA WE SEE SUICIDE
RATES RISE MARKEDLY WITH HEAT
AND DROUGHT.
THERE'S PREEXISTING ILLNESS.
STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED
INCREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND
DEATHS.
WE HAVE THESE CLUSTER OF
CONSTRUCTS SPECIFIC TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.
I WANT TO SPEND TIME ON THOSE
AND YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF
CLIMATE ANXIETY AND SOLAR ISSUES
AND A CONCEPT NOT SPECIFIC TO
CLIMATE CHANGE BUT RELATES TO
BEING REMOVED FROM LAND AND
LOSING CONNECTION TO LAND AND
THE EMOTION THAT OCCURS WITH
THAT.
THERE'S ALSO AN UNEXPLORED AREA
AROUND POTENTIAL NEURO
DEVELOPMENT IMPACT WHICH COULD
BE INTEREST AND QUITE
SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC
HEALTH.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY
RESEARCH A LOT BUT HIGHLIGHT
THIS ONE BRIEFLY BECAUSE IT
REALLY SHOWS THE COMPLEXITY OF
WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
THIS WAS A PILOT STUDY USING
SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELLING WHICH
IS ABOUT THREE HOURS FROM WHERE
I'M FROM IN BRISBANE.
IT'S A RURAL AREA AND
AGRICULTURAL BUT A DIVERSE
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.
YOU HAVE GRAINS AND LIVESTOCK
AND ALSO HAVE LOTS OF FRUIT,
VINEYARDS AND BEAUTIFUL HIKING
SPOT FOR TOURISM SECTOR AND HAS
BEEN HARD HIT IN THE LAST DECADE
OR SHOW -- SO.
THE AREA HAD BEEN IN DROUGHT FOR
10 YEARS AND THEY WERE TRUCKING
WATER IN.
IN 2019 I SAW THE WILDFIRES WE
HAD IN AUSTRALIA AND ONE OF THE
FIRST AREAS TO EXPERIENCE THE
BUSH FIRES AT THE SAME TIME THEY
HAD NO WATER TO FIGHT THEM AND
THE BUSH FIRES MADE IT INTO
SOUTH WALES AND THE AREA WAS
BLANKETED IN THIS THICK SMOKE.
SO WHATEVER WAS LEFT FROM
STANDING IN TERMS OF CROPS FROM
THE DROUGHT AND THE FIRES WERE
NOW COMPLETELY TAINTED BY SMOKE.
A WHOLE DECADE OF CROPS
COMPLETELY WRITTEN OFF.
SINCE THEN THE DROUGHT HAS
BROKEN AND THEY'VE HAD FLOODS
AND HIT BY STORMS.
THEY'VE HAD IT TOUGH AND HAD
COVID-19 IN THERE AS WELL.
WE DIDN'T GO OUT TO THE AREA
BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOCKDOWN AND
INTERVIEWED TWO PEOPLE FROM THE
HEALTH SECTOR AND WENT TO PEOPLE
FROM AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION,
SMALL BUSINESS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, EMERGENCY SERVICES,
REGULAR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND
ESSENTIALLY HELD IN DEPTH
INTERVIEWS OF WHAT THEY'RE VIEWS
AND EXPERIENCES WERE OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING ENVIRONMENTALLY AND
HOW THEY FELT IT WAS IMPACTING
THE COMMUNITY'S MENTAL HEALTH.
WHAT WERE THE PATHWAYS THROUGH
WHICH THIS WAS OPERATING.
DEPENDING ON WHAT SECTOR THEY
WERE COMING FROM AND PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES WERE THEIR STORIES
WERE QUITE DIFFERENT BUT WITH
COMMON THREADS AND EMPLOYED A
MODELER TO DO THE WORK AND THAT
PROCESS THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU
GET IS WHAT'S CALLED A CAUSAL
LATE DIAGRAM AND THIS IS WHAT IT
LOOKED LIKE.
I REALIZE THAT MAY BE TOO SMALL
TO READ BUT IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S
MIND MAP OF WHAT IS HAPPEN
WITHIN THE CLIMATE CHANGE MENTAL
HEALTH SYSTEM.
IT IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX AND
THERE'S FEEDBACK LOOPS IN THERE
AND IT'S VERY CONTEXT SPECIFIC.
THIS IS VERY LOCAL.
IF WE WENT 100 KILOMETERS DOWN
THE ROAD AND CAN THE SAME
EXERCISE IT COULD LOOK QUITE
DIFFERENT.
THIS SECTION UP HERE IS AROUND
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, THE
CLIMATE VARIABILITY WHICH WE
PLACED OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM IS A
DRIVER OF THE SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY PART OF THE
SYSTEM.
AND THE PATHWAYS THROUGH WHICH
MENTAL HEALTH OR EMOTIONAL
WELL-BEING ARE LARGELY THRIVEN
THROUGH THE AGRICULTURAL
SECRETARY BUT THROUGH A METRO
AREA THAT COULD LOOK DIFFERENT
WHERE WE HAVE DIFFERENT CLIMATE
RISK AT PLAY SUCH AS HEAT.
THIS IS WORK FROM A Ph.D.
STUDENT OF MINE LOOK AT CLIMATE
ANXIETY IN ADOLESCENTS AND
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT LEVELS
WHEN WE LOOK AT AN ECOLOGICAL
FRAMEWORK THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
SYSTEMS THAT ARE IMPACTING
HEALTH SOMEONE MIGHT RESPOND TO
IT.
THESE ARE THE CHILDREN IN CON
TERM OF CLIMATE ANXIETY.
WE HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUAL ASPECTS
SUCH AS PHYSICAL VULNERABILITY
AND THE SPACE AND TEMPERAMENT.
THE SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF THAT SUCH
AS SCHOOL, HOW IS THE SCHOOL
FRAMING CLIMATE CHANGE AND HAS
THERE BEEN DISRUPTION FROM
CLIMATE-RELATED EVENTS?
HOW'S THE FAMILY?
WHAT'S THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS
CLIMATE CHANGE OR CLIMATE
ANXIETY?
DO THEY TAKE ACTIVISM?
DO THEY HAVE SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES AND WHAT ARE COMMUNITY
ATTITUDES?
ALL PLAY A ROLE HOW AN
INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE
IMPACTED IN TERMS OF MENTAL
HEALTH.
THEN WE ARE GOVERNMENT ATTITUDES
AND GOVERNMENT ACTION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CONCERNS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN
TERMS OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE
CLIMATE ANXIETY AND CULTURAL
IMPORTANCE TO LAND.
FOR SOME PEOPLE MOVING FROM
THEIR LAND OR FORCED BECAUSE OF
SEA LEVEL RISE IS HIGHLY
TRAUMATIC AND THEY LOSE CULTURAL
SIGNIFICANCE AND ATTACHMENT IN
THAT WAY.
I'LL FINISH ON SERVICE DEMAND.
I'M FROM AUSTRALIA AND WE HAVE A
GOOD HEALTH SYSTEM BUT IT'S
BURSTING AND STRETCHED AND
THERE'S NO FEASIBLE WAY IT'S
GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE
DEMANDS OF THE INCREASED BURDEN
OF MENTAL HEALTH AS WE GO
FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
I MENTION BEFORE THE EVIDENCE IS
ALREADY THERE BUT EMERGENCY
VISITS, HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE UP
AND MORE CONSULTATIONS ARE UP
AND DEMANDS FOR ALL KINDS OF
SERVICES AND ALSO TO THINK ABOUT
THE INCREASE IN USE OF HEALTH
CARE FACILITIES WITH THE HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM BEING SUCH A BIG
CONTRIBUTOR TO GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS IS ALSO NOT A GREAT
WAY TO BE MITIGATING CLIMATE
CHANGE.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE
CONSIDERABLE DISRUPTIONS IN FACT
IN AUSTRALIA WE HAVE SEEN
THROUGH THE FLOODS AND FIRES
HUGE DISRUPTIONS TO HEALTH
SERVICES.
THIS NEEDS TO BE PLANNED FOR AND
QUITE A TRANSFORMATIVE SHIFT IN
THE WAY WE TRY AND PROVIDE
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO
POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE PERHAPS OUTSIDE THE FORMAL
HEALTH SERVICE.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN THE
DISCUSSION AS WELL BUT WE ALSO
AUTHORED A PAPER RECENTLY
TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF
RECOVERY IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE.
IN AUSTRALIA, WE ARE A COUNTRY
OF DISASTERS.
WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD FIRES AND
TROPICAL STORMS AND DROUGHT BUT
THEY HAVE BEEN EVENTS THAT ARE
RELATIVELY PREDICTABLE.
WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE ONE EVERY 10
YEARS OR ONE IN 100-YEAR FLOOD
AND HAD SUFFICIENT TIME AND
RESOURCES TO RECOVER.
THAT HAS BEEN AND REMAINS
PROBLEMATIC MODEL IN AUSTRALIA
TO HAVE.
IN AUSTRALIA THE IDEA OF
RECOVERY IS JUST NOT REALISTIC.
AND IT REALLY DOES LEAN ON THE
ASSUMPTIONS THAT EXTREME WEATHER
ARE UNEXPECTED AND IT'S TIME
LIMITED AND YOU CAN RECOVER TO A
PLACE YOU WERE BEFORE IN A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
THOSE ASSUMPTIONS DO NOT EXIST
ANY MORE IN AUSTRALIA AND I WILL
ARGUE THAT IT'S NOT THE CASE IN
OTHER COUNTRIES IT WILL MOST
CERTAINLY BE VERY SOON.
SO WE BASICALLY ARE SETTING
OURSELVES UP TO FAIL AND WHAT
THE PAPER IS ARGUING IS THAT WE
NEED TO SHIFT FROM THE MOLT OF
RECOVERY AND WE NEED RECOVERY
PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
THERE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO
REBUILD BUT JUST SOLELY RELYING
ON A POST-DISASTER RECOVERY
MODEL IS SETTING US UP TO FAIL
WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TIME ANY
MORE.
AND IT'S NOT REALISTIC FOR
COMMUNITIES TO EXPECT TO GO BACK
TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE.
WE NEED TO ADAPT AND CHANGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL REFER YOU TO OUR NETWORK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, PROFESSOR
CHARLSON FOR THAT WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION.
PLEASE SHUT YOUR QUESTIONS VIA
MENTEE ANY TIME DURING THE
PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND
FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION
HERE'S THE LINK.
AND IN THE MEANTIME I'M GOING TO
PRESENT OUR FIRST VIDEO
PRESENTER.
AND SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH
ADVISORY CENTER AND VOLUNTEER AT
THE ECUADORIAN RED CROSS AND
LEADS PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT IN
THE RED CROSS BRANCH.
SHE FOCUSES ON I AM PROVING
ADOLESCENTS MENTAL HEALTH
THROUGH ELEMENTS OF GAMIFICATION
AND IS PASSIONATE ON EXPLORING
THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON
WELL-BEING AND PROMOTING
SIGNIFICANT YOUTH PARTICIPATION.
>> HELLO.
I'M PART OF THE RED CROSS --
WE'LL RESTART THE VIDEO.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO INCREASE THE
VOLUME.
>> I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST AND PART
OF THE RED CROSS ADVISORY GROUP
IN EQUADOR.
MY JOSH IS TO WORK ON MENTAL
HEALTH AND I ATTENDED SUMMITS
AND INTERVENTIONS AND HEALTH WAS
A TOPIC BUT MENTAL HEALTH WAS
NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
THIS IS PART OF MY CURIOSITY TO
REFLECT ON THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE TOPICS AND THE
CLIMATE CHANGE MENTAL HEALTH
SOMETHING THAT WASN'T BE
SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE FACING A NEW
REALITY WHERE THE CONNECT
BETWEEN THE TOPICS IS BEING
HIGHLIGHTED AND YOU NEED IT PLI
A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN THE
RESEARCH AGENDA.
IN TERMS OF HAVING A RESEARCH
AGENDA AND FOSTING THE CONTEXT
WILL HELP TO PROMOTE NOT ONLY
BETTER SPACES OF PARTICIPATION
BUT TO IDENTIFY THE BEST
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND
TOOLS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES TO
SUPPORT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
YOUTH IS CONSTANTLY FACING THE
FUTURE AND WE KNOW IT CAN BE
DIFFICULT AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS
FACTORS TO PROTECT THEM IN THE
FUTURE JOURNEY.
ALSO, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE AND IT
WILL BRING INTERGENERATIONAL
PERSPECTIVES THAT COME FROM
CONSIDERATION OF APPROACHES AND
THIS IS THE REASON FOR HAVING
STRONGER REPRESENTATION OF
YOUNGER PEOPLE IN RESEARCH
TEAMS.
POR ME IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THE
TOPIC IS DISCUSSED AND
HIGHLIGHTED.
WE'RE HERE TO KEEP ADVOCATING
FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CONTEXT
OF CLIMATE AND THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M SURE SHE'S LISTENING ON THE
LIVE STREAM.
PERHAPS WE CAN GIVE HER A ROUND
OF APPLAUSE.
OKAY.
SO NEXT WE HAVE DR. ELAINE
FLORES.
SHE SAY PERUVIAN PHYSICIAN AND
MIXED METHODS RESEARCHER AND
WORKS AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF
HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
AND THE STANFORD CENTER FOR
INNOVATION AND GLOBAL HEALTH.
DR. FLORES HAS EXTENSIVE
EXPERIENCE CONDUCTING
PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROJECTS
WITH COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY
CLIMATATIC AND LOOKS AT PEOPLE
WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS,
INDIGENOUS GROUPS, WOMEN,
ADOLESCENTS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY
DISPLACED PEOPLE.
SHE AIMS TO AMPLIFY THE
RECOGNITIONS OF THOSE GROUPS AS
THEY FACE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION.
JOIN ME IN WELCOMING DR. FLORES.
>> THANK YOU.
WE NEED TO INCLUDE ALL IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TOPIC.
THIS WILL BE A ROUGH OUTLINE.
I WANT TO PRESENT BRIEFLY WHAT
WE ALREADY KNOW FOR THE TARGETED
GROUPS AND THE STUDY OF TWO
FINDINGS IN VULNERABILITIES
USING QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND FINALLY
KEY MESSAGES I'D LIKE TO TAKE
HOME.
WE KNOW CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS
ARE COMPOUNDING AFFECT ON
EXISTING VULNERABILITIES AND IT
EXACERBATES HEALTH AND MENTAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO
CONSIDER INEQUITY FROM AN
INTERSECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
KEY FACTORS THAT WILL BE
INFLUENCING ACROSS THE TARGETED
GROUPS WE'LL TALK ABOUT INCLUDES
SOCIO ECONOMIC POSITION AND
INEQUALITY AND INSECURE HOUSING
AND CULTURAL FACTORS, SOCIAL
VALUES AND TRADITIONAL NORMS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
INCLUDING CLIMATE, GREEN SPACES,
WATER, FOOD SECURITY AND AS WE
DID IN WORKING CONDITIONS.
INCLUDING THE QUALITY OF HOUSING
AND HEALTH CARE ACCESS.
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY NETWORKS AS
WELL AS FIONA MENTIONED IS
IMPORTANT IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS
AND COPING CAPACITY WILL BE
CRUCIAL AND LIFESTYLE INCLUDING
OF COURSE PERSONAL VALUES,
ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS, RESEARCH
SECTION, AWARENESS AND
PREPAREDNESS AND DEMOGRAPHICS
AND EIGHTH, GENDER, HEALTH
STATUS AND PREEXISTING
CONDITIONS AND GENETICS.
I WOULD MENTION SOME KEY DATA WE
KNOW ABOUT GROUPS WITH
VULNERABILITIES.
IN THE CASE OF WOMEN, WE KNOW
1.7 TIMES THEY HAVE A PREVALENCE
OF COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS
COMPARED TO MEN.
ADDITIONAL SOCIO ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER WILL BE ACERBATING THEIR
VULNERABILITY.
THEY HAVE A GREATER ECONOMIC
INEQUALITIES, LIMITED ACCESS
RESOURCES, REVIEWS
DECISION-MAKING POWER,
INCREASING SUSCEPTIBILITY TO
MENTAL HEALTH RISK AS WELL AS
CULTURAL FACTORS.
THE SOCIETIES WITH STRONG
CULTURAL NORMS AND GENDER
INEQUALITIES WILL BE
EXPERIENCING FURTHER
MARGINALIZATION WITH FURTHER
VULNERABILITY TO COPE WITH THE
ASSOCIATED STRESSORS.
AS WELL AS DISPLACEMENT.
80% OF THOSE DISPLACED BY
CLIMATE CHANGE ARE WOMEN AND
THOSE IMPOVERISHED WILL HAVE
DISPROPORTIONATE STRESSORS AND
WELL BEING.
AND INCREASED CAREGIVING
RESPONSIBILITIES LEAD TO STRESS,
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION.
WOMEN ARE ALSO MORE AFFECTED BY
CLIMATE CAUSED FOOD INSECURITY.
60% OF CHRONICALLY HUNGRY PEOPLE
ARE WOMEN AND GIRLS AND DOMESTIC
ABUSE AFTER EXTREME WEATHER
EVENTS AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE
WOMEN LIVING IN LOW-INCOME
COUNTRIES FACE GREATER
CHALLENGES.
AND THEY HAVE LESS MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES.
7% OF THOSE WITH GLOBAL
PREVALENCE HAVE DEPRESSION.
THEY'RE ALSO PARTICULARLY
SUSCEPTIBLE TO CLIMATE IMPACTS
DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.
THEY HAVE LIMITED MOBILITY,
ISOLATION AND REDUCED SOCIAL
CONNECTIONS.
EVERYTHING AFFECTING THEIR RISK.
IN SOME SOCIETIES THOSE
EXPERIENCE MARGINALIZATION, HEAT
WAVES AND DISASTERS WILL
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT OLDER
ADULTS MORE SUSPECTABLE TO
HEAT-RELATED ISSUES AND FACE
DIFFICULTIES AND LEAD TO STRESS,
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND PTSD
RATES.
AS WELL AS MORTALITY.
THERE'S 7% OF THE HEAT-RELATED
DEATHS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THIS HAS
RISEN IN 70% IN TWO DECADES IN
65 OR OLDER.
AND THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THIS
GROUP FACES HIGHER RATES OF
MENTAL DISORDERS AND SUICIDE
RATES AND CULTURAL IDENTITY
LOSS, ONGOING MARGINALIZATION
AND HAVE RELIANCE ON TRADITIONAL
PRACTICES.
THE RISE IN TEMPERATURES AND
WEATHER PATTERN CHANGES WILL
DISRUPT THEIR TRADITIONAL WAYS
OF LIFE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY.
AND INDIGENOUS GROUPS OVER ALL
WILL FACE A SOCIO ECONOMIC
DISADVANTAGES, LIMITED RESOURCE
AND HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND
REDUCED DECISION-MAKING POWER.
EVERYTHING WILL EXACERBATE
MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS.
DISPLACEMENT AND FORCED
MIGRATION DUE TO CLIMATE EVENTS
WILL BRING AN ADDITIONAL
STRESSOR SEPARATION FROM THEIR
ASSENCESTRY LANDS AND MAY LEAD
FEELINGS OF GRIEF AND LETHARGY.
OTHER GROUPS THAT WE NEED TO
TAKE IN MIND WOULD BE THOSE WITH
PRE-EXISTING MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
CONDITIONS INCLUDING
DISABILITIES.
WE KNOW THAT THOSE WITH
BACKGROUND MENTAL CONDITIONS,
CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS CAN
WORSEN SYMPTOMS AND CAUSE
DISPLACEMENT AND LEADING TO
INCREASED , ANXIETY, DEPRESSION
AND WILL BE EXACERBATING HEALTH
CONDITIONS.
INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH
DISABILITY HIGHER RISK FOR THE
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, SUICIDE
IDEALIZATION AND LESS CONNECT TO
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT DURING
CLIMATIC EVENT AND CHILDREN MAY
REDUCE FEAR, STRESS ABOUT THE
FUTURE, POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENT
LOSS, IMPACTS ON THEIR OWN AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS AND FEELINGS
OF DISTRESS AND HELPLESSNESS
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
CLIMATE DISASTERS COME IN THIS
GROUP LEADING TO TRAUMA AND
PTSD.
WITH LONG-TERM IMPACTS AND
IMPACT ON SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL
IMPACTS ON DISRUPTION TO DAILY
LIFE.
AND FINALLY UNDER SERVED GROUP
WHO ARE ALREADY MARGINALIZED
HAVE INCREASED VULNERABILITY
FACING CLIMATE STRESSORS.
ALSO, THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY
WILL HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO
HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, SOCIAL
SUPPORT, EXACERBATING THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT AND THEY'LL
HAVE LIMITED ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
TO COPE WITH CLIMATE STRESSORS.
SO WE HAVE THE SOCIO ECONOMIC
FACTORS SIGNIFICANTLY WILL BE
SHAPING VULNERABILITY.
THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY AND
EQUALITY WILL EXPERIENCE AN
INCREASED RATES OF EXPRESS,
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.
AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS
OF DISPLACEMENT AND LIMITED IN
ACCESS TO SUPPORT.
SORRY ABOUT THE LONG LIST.
WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE AND I'LL
FOCUS ON THE POINT, THIS IS JUST
A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THIS
INTERSECTION HAS BEEN EXPLORED
AND BOTH APPROACHES AND
QUALITATIVE STUDIES AND HERE'S
SCOPING REVIEWS THAT SEARCH FOR
THESE.
WE NOTED A STEEP INCREASE ON
RESEARCH OUTPUT HOWEVER, THERE
STILL SOME GAPS MISSED
ESPECIALLY THE NEED TO HAVE
DIVERSE VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES
INCLUDED IN POLICY PLANNING.
I WOULD BE BRIEF, APOLOGIES, BUT
WE HAVE A STUDY ON 48 WOMEN --
WE WANTED TO EXPLORE AND
CHARACTERIZE THEIR UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVES AND CONCERNS AND
EXPERIENCES OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN
LIVING IN PERU ACROSS SEVERAL
REGIONS.
AND MOST OF THEM WE IT WILL HELP
US TO EXPLORE THEIR UNIQUE
EXPOSURE PROFILES AND
PERCEPTIONS.
WE JUST HAVE AN APPROACH TO
ANALYZE THE DATA.
IN SUMMARY, WHAT WE FOUND WAS
EVEN WITH THE SAME COUNTRY THERE
WERE MARKED DIFFERENT REGIONAL
DIFFERENCES.
OVER ALL, THERE WERE BARRIERS
FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER
DIFFERENT EXPOSURES OF CLIMATE
CHANGE AND FEELINGS OF DISTRESS,
POWERLESSNESS AND ABANDONMENT
AND LIMITED WOMAN-LED
PARTICIPATION IN ROLES AND WE
LED A STUDY TRYING TO SEE THE
LONG-TERM MENTAL CONDITIONS OF
PEOPLE SURVIVORS OF A FLOODING
EVENT IN UNDER SERVED POPULATION
IN LIMA.
AND WE TRIED TO ANALYZE
POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN
ANXIETY AND SOCIAL CAPITAL.
AND WHAT I LIKE ON THE FINDINGS
WAS THAT ALMOST 11% OF
PARTICIPANTS SCREENED POSITIVE
AND WERE UNDIAGNOSED OF TREATING
DISORDERS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
WE CONDUCTED THE STUDY MORE THAN
ONE YEAR AFTER THE FLOODING
EVENTS AND THERE WAS CONCERNING
PREVALENCE OF THE UNTREATED AND
UNDIAGNOSED FINDINGS.
WE FOUND INCREASED RATE OF PTSD,
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND WE
ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE
RESTRICTION EFFORTS, LACK OF
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
AND REPUBLICANS TO CONDITIONS
AND THERE WERE COMMUNITY
RECONSTRUCTION.
AND TO FINALIZE IF THERE'S
ANYTHING I'D LIKE YOU TO FROM
THE PRESENTATION IS THE FIRST WE
HAVE POPULATION GROUPS WITH
VULNERABILITIES FACING ALREADY
THE CLIMATE CRISIS WITH
ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES.
THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY AWARE OF
WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PROTECT
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, WELL-BEING
AND ADAPTATION MEASURES.
THESE ARE INTERRELATED AND
RESPONSES AND TREATMENT
APPROACHES AND WE IMPLEMENT IN
LINE WITH THE PERSON AND
COMMUNITY SELF-REPORTED NEEDS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
DR. FLORES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NOW TURN TO
DR. WELTON-MITCHELL AN ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH AT THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF
PUBLIC HEALTH.
SHE'S ALSO A FACULTY RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE WITH THE NATURAL
HAZARD CENTER AND TRAINED AS A
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND
SPECIALIZES IN TRAUMATIC STRESS.
SHE WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN
COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN CRISES.
FIRST AS A HUMANITARIAN AID
WORKER AND LATER AS A TRAINER
AND INTERVENTION RESEARCHER.
HER RESEARCH FOCUSES ON HEALTH
AND PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
AND DISASTERS AND COMPLEX HUM
HUMANITARIAN CRISES USING MIXED
METHODS.
JOIN ME IN WELCOMING DR
DR. WELTON-MICHELL.
>> THIS IS MY RESEARCH JOURNEY
WAKING UP TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS
AND A BIT OF A MIA COPA AND I
REALIZED I MISSED A FEW THINGS
WHEN I SCOPE OUT AND THOUGHT
MORE STRATEGICALLY HOW CLIMATE
IS A DRIVER AND THE IMPACT ON
SOME COMMUNITIES I WAS WORKING
WITH AND THOSE WHO WERE
DEPENDENT AND REMAIN DEPENDENT
ON RAIN-FED AGRICULTURE.
STARTING IN 2013 TO 2017 WORKING
WITH COLLABORATORS WE WORKED
WITH COMMUNITY TO CO-DESIGN,
IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE MENTAL
HEALTH INTEGRATED DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS COMMUNITY-BASED
INTERVENTIONS AND FACILITATED
INTERVENTIONS.
THE COMMUNITIES WE WERE WORKING
WITH IN HAITI AND NEPAL WERE
EXPERIENCING CHRONIC FLOODING
AND EARTHQUAKES AND WERE FARMERS
THAT WERE AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT
AND WORKING AND LIVING IN RURAL
LOCATIONS.
AND I WORKED IN SYRIAN
COMMUNITIES DEVELOPING AND
TESTING A MENTAL HEALTH
INTEGRATED INTIMATE PARTNER
ABUSE INTERVENTION FOR THOSE
COMMUNITIES.
SIMILAR COMMUNITY LED AND
FACILITATED MODEL AND WE WERE
FOCUSSED ON A NUMBER OF THINGS
INCLUDING EXPANDING TO HUMAN
RATES RELATED ISSUES BUT WERE
NOT REALLY THINKING.
I THINK I WAS THE ONE REMISS IN
NOT HAVING FRAMED IT THIS WAY,
WE WASHINGTON THINKING ABOUT THE
CLIMATE COMPONENT AND MENTAL
HEALTH IMPACTS FUELED BY CLIMATE
CHANGE WAS ON MY RADAR BUT I
DIDN'T COMPREHENS -- COMPREHEND
AS A FORCED MIGRATION AND
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND LOSS
OF LIVELIHOOD ESPECIALLY FOR
RAIN-FED AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT
COMMUNITIES.
TO REMEDY MY OVERSIGHT I THOUGHT
I NEED TO GO INTO COMMUNITIES
AND BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING
AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT
COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY KNOWS IN
DISASTER-PRONE CONTEXT.
I WORKED WITH COLLEAGUES WITH
GEOHAZARDS NATIONAL AND PULLED
IN COLLEAGUES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES.
WE REACHED OUT TO FARMERS AND
SAID HEY, WE WANT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.
RIGHT NOW BEFORE I TELL YOU
ABOUT WHAT WE FOUND, WE'RE
ACTIVELY TRYING TO SECURE
FUNDING FOR AN EXPANSION OF THIS
THAT IS INTERVENTION RELATED SO
WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MENTAL
HEALTH INTEGRATED CLIMATE
INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNITIES IN
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND EXPANSION
OF OUR PREVIOUS WORK IN HAITI
AND NEPAL AND AN EXPANSION FOR
THE INTERVENTION PIECE IN OTHER
LOCATIONS AND SEPARATE COMPONENT
FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA AND U.S.
WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM
COMMUNITIES HERE?
I FEW THINGS.
70% EXPERIENCE MORE CROP YIELDS
AND FAILURES.
70% NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE
IN THEIR INCOME AND WERE HAVING
TO DIVERSIFY THEIR SOURCES OF
INCOME AND WEREN'T ABLE TO
SOLELY EARN A LIVING THROUGH
AGRICULTURE MANY OF THEM.
GEF GEF 6.
OVER 40% CHANGE THE WAY THEY
FORM AND HALF SAID THEY SEE
THEIR CHILDREN CONTINUING IN
AGRICULTURE LARGELY BECAUSE THEY
DON'T FEEL THERE'S A VIABLE PATH
FORWARD.
WE DID ADMINISTER A NUMBER OF
ADAPTIVE MENTAL HEALTH MEASURES
BUT ALSO ASKED FOR SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT ASPECTS OF CLIMATE
ANXIETY, FEELINGS OF
HOPELESSNESS AND EXISTENTIAL
DREAD RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE
AND 60% WERE SOME TO EXTREMELY
ANXIOUS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS IS EXPLORATORY WORK AND WE
BUILT INITIATIVES TO BUILD
RELATED INTERVENTIONS.
A COUPLE QUOTES, A LOCAL FARMER
IN MIORAM SAID RAIN DOES NOT
FALL IN THE NORMAL TIME AND MANY
SEASONS PREDICTED BY ANCESTORS
ARE USEFUL NOW.
WE WERE WORKING WITH A FARMERS
CO-OP IN MIORAM AND SAID MANY
ARE MENTALLY STRESSED THEIR
CROPS WILL BE DESTROYED BY RAIN
AND FLOODS AND WENT ON TO
EXPLAIN IT'S SOMETHING BECOMING
INCREASINGLY COMMON AND A LOT OF
THESE EXTREME WEATHER RELATED
EVENTS THEY'RE SEEING FROM ONE
GENERATION TO THE NEXT LOOKING
BACK BACK AT ANCESTORS, ONE AND
TWO GENERATIONS PREVIOUSLY THE
DYNAMICS ARE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO EXPLORE MORE AND
TEASE OUT THE IMPLICATION FOR
INTERVENTION.
IN PREVIOUS WORK IN NEPAL WE SAW
DEPRESSION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH
LESS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
IN HAITI WE SAW PTSD AND ANXIETY
AND FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT
INTERFERING WITH PREPAREDNESS
FOR DISASTERS, PARTICULARLY
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS LIKE
FLOODING.
WE ALSO KNOW FROM THE
INTERVENTION WORK WE DID MENTAL
HEALTH PREPAREDNESS CAN INCREASE
ENGAGEMENT AND DECREASE MENTAL
HEALTH SYMPTOMS.
HOWEVER WITH FARMERS IN MIORAM
WE FOUND WHICH INTERESTING AND
SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTORY IS
ANXIETY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND
NOT GLOBAL BUT SPECIFIC TO
CLIMATE CHANGE WAS ASSOCIATED
GREATER PREPAREDNESS AND CLIMATE
ADAPTATION.
SO THERE'S A SMALL BUT GROWING
LITERATURE ON THIS.
THERE'S OTHERS THAT HAVE SEEN
THIS RESULT AND PERHAPS IT'S NOT
SURPRISING IF YOU THINK ABOUT
MAYBE IT'S A U-SHAPED CURVE.
WE'RE PLANNING TO GET ADAPTATION
COMPONENTS INTO A MODIFIED
MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATED DRR
INTERVENTION.
AND OUR ABILITY TO ANSWER SOME
OF THESE QUESTIONS AND TO
DISENTANGLE SOME OF THIS I THINK
HAS REALLY IMPORTANT
IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW WE MEASURE
CLIMATE-HEALTH RELATED
CONSTRUCTS AND WHAT ASSUMPTIONS
WE SHOULD MAKE WHEN WE STRUCTURE
CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND
INTERVENTIONS.
I WANT TO MENTION IN BRIEF THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS I REALIZED WAS
THAT MY INABILITY TO SEE SOME OF
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE WERE WORKING
WITH HISTORICALLY WAS DUE TO MY
NARROW FOCUS ON -- BASICALLY
SOME OF MY DISCIPLINARY TRAINING
AND PERSPECTIVES THAT LIMITED
THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS I WAS
ASKING.
SO INCREASINGLY I'M TRYING TO
WORK WITH INTERDISCIPLINARY
TEAMS NOT ONLY MENTAL HEALTH
SPECIALISTS BUT SOCIOLOGISTS,
AGRICULTURE, PEOPLE WITH
KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, FARMERS CO-OPS.
A LOT OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
REPOSITORIES IN MANY MANY
DIFFERENT CONTEXT BUT ALSO THE
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
WORKER SAFETY AND WELL BEING IB
COMPLEX AND CASCADING CRISES.
SO THANK YOU.
WITH THAT I WILL WRAP IT UP.
I DO WANT TO SAY ONE LAST THING.
RECENTLY I CONCLUDED
INTERVENTION RESEARCH WITH
COMMUNITIES IN THE STATES AND
COLORADO.
MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATED
PREPAREDNESS FOR TEACHERS IN
PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE FACE OF
SCHOOL VIOLENCE FACING OUR
NATION.
I CAN'T CONCEPTUALIZE THIS AS A
CLIMATE-RELATED PROJECT BUT WHEN
I STARTED REFLECTING AND LOOKING
AT THE LITERATURE ON HEAT,
RISING TEMPERATURE AND
AGGRESSION, I DO THINK IT BEARS
REFLECTING ON THAT MAY BE ONE OF
A MULTITUDE OF DRIVERS OF
INCREASED VIOLENCE IN OUR
SCHOOLS.
NOT ONLY IN THE U.S. BUT
ELSEWHERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION.
A REMINDER AGAIN TO PLEASE
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS USING
MENTEE.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT
VIDEO PRESENTER BEFORE OU OF OUR
FINAL PANELIST.
PAB LE SUAREZ FOR THE RED CROSS,
RED CRESCENT CLIMATE CENTER, A
VISITING FELLOW AT BOSTON
UNIVERSITY AND ARTIST AND
RESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE AND A
SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELER TURNED
HUMANITARIAN WORKER AND GAME
DESIGNER AND CREATIVE CREATOR OF
SERIOUS YET FUN PROCESSES FOR
COLLABORATIVE INSPIRATION
THINKING AND ACTION.
WELCOME TO PABLO AND VERY
GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR THIS VIDEO.
>> HELLO, FRIENDS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE WITH YOU.
I'M PABLO A FORMER FULL-TIME
RESEARCHER ON CLIMATE AND
DISASTERS AND MATHEMATICAL
MODELER USING THE LANGUAGE OF
NUMBERS TO ADDRESS AND
ANTICIPATE CHANGE AND TWO
DECADES AGO I BECAME A
HUMANITARIAN WORKER AND JOINED
THE RED CROSS FAMILY AND WORKING
WITH GOVERNMENTS ORGANIZATIONS
AND OTHERS TO HELP MAKE
DECISIONS TO ADDRESS RISKS
ESPECIALLY AMONG THE MOST
VULNERABLE.
AND THOUGH MOST OF MY WORK HAS
BEEN IN THE GENERAL FIELD OF
RISK AND HEALTH AND DISASTERS
THE EVIDENCE OF THE HUMANITARIAN
IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH ARE
BEYOND MANAGEABLE.
I AM NOW DEDICATING A LARGE
FRACTION OF MY TIME AS A
RESEARCHER AND PRACTITIONER TO
TRY TO SUPPORT WHAT WE DO IN
TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH
DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING
HAS BEEN EXPANDING THE FACE OF
COMMUNICATION AND KNOWLEDGE IS
UNDERSTANDABLE AND EMBRACEABLE
AND ACTIONABLE.
WE'RE DOING THIS WITH PEOPLE
EXPERTISE AT MAKING KNOWLEDGE
PALATABLE AND DESIRABLE.
WE GOT A GRANT FROM THE WELCOME
TRUST TO WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL
HUMORISTS WHO KNOW HOW TO DEPICT
THAT LIFE MAY LOOK NORMAL TODAY
BUT IF YOU TAKE A GOOD LOOK YOU
NOTICE OUR SYSTEMS ARE SO
UNSTABLE.
A LITTLE BIT OF A PUSH CAN CAUSE
COLLAPSE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
TIMELINESS TO INTERVENE WHEN
SOMEONE IS IN TROUBLE OR MAY
NEED TO BE HELPED TO AVOID
FALLING AND WORK WITH EXPERTS AT
UNDERSTANDING WHAT CAN GO WRONG,
COLLABORATION AND COURAGE AND
UPLIFT.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
HELP KNOWLEDGE AND UPLIFT PEOPLE
IN THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT SEEMS
IMPOSSIBLE.
THERE'S MORE I'D LOVE TO SHARE
WITH YOU.
FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME
AND/OR MY TEAM.
WE HOPE THE KNOWLEDGE BECOMES
TRANSFORMATIONAL ACTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST I'D
LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR FINAL
PANELIST.
HEAD OF THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT
WITHIN THE W.H.O. DEPARTMENT OF
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND LOOKING A
POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON
EMERGENCY SETTINGS AND
ASSESSMENT TOOLS EVIDENCE
GUIDELINES AND PRODUCTS AND
SCALABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL
INTERVENTIONS, ESSENTIAL
MEDICINES LIST UPDATES AN
SUPPORTING COUNTRIES TO BUILD
BACK BETTER MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEMS AFTER EMERGENCIES.
TO IMPROVE POLICY HE TERMED
MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL
SUPPORT AND COORDINATE THE
WRITING OF THE WORLD MENTAL
HEALTH REPORT TRANSFORMING
MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL.
JOIN ME IN WELCOMING DR. v VAN
ONNEN.
>> THIS SLIDE WORK SUMMARIZES
DONE BY W.H.O. COLLEAGUES IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE AND
HEALTH.
WE HAVE A HUGE PROGRAM IN THAT
AREA.THATARAREA.
WE DO NOT HAVE SUBSTANTIAL WORK
AS THIS GROUP ON THE CLIMATE
CHANGE AND HAVE IN THE ACTION
PLAN WITH ENDORSED MEMBER ACTION
PLAN AN INDICATOR ON DISASTER
RISK REDUCTION WE MADE A POLICY
BRIEF ON MENTAL HEALTH AND
CLIMATE CHANGE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN THIS AREA TO READ
IT.
WE HIGHLIGHTED ONE OF THE
DRIVERS IN GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH
REPORT THAT CAME OUT LAST YEAR.
A NUMBER OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
ARE IMPORTANT.
THERE'S MANY BUT THESE ARE THE
QUESTIONS FROM WHERE I'M SITTING
THAT ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.
AND I COME FROM THE BACKGROUND
IN WORKING IN EMERGENCY
DISASTERS AND AS ALWAYS QUESTION
IS NOT ONLY ABOUT RESPONDING BUT
ALSO PREVENTING AND I AM PLIS IT
TO THINK WITH THE -- IMPLICIT
SPEAKING TO MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT
AND CONSIDER SCIENCE AND SCIENCE
CAN PLAY A ROLE IN CONTRIBUTING
TO PROMOTING COLLECTIVE CLIMATE
ACTION.
MANY OF US DO MANY THINGS IN OUR
LIVES THAT ARE PROBABLY NOT
HELPFUL FOR CLIMATE.
IT STRUCK ME IN PREPARING FOR
THE PRESENTATION AND READING
THAT WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE
CONFIDENCE IN THE NUMBER.
WHAT'S THE INCREASED INCIDENTS
IN DIFFERENT MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE?
WE HAVE NUMBERS IN DIFFERENT
AREAS FOR EXAMPLE FOR CONFLICT.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE.
IT'S A CLEAR RESEARCH QUESTION
THAT NEEDS A CRISP ANSWER PEOPLE
CAN IMPROVE UPON OVER TIME BUT
HAVING THIS PROBABLY REQUIRE
NATIONAL SERVICE THAT ARE RUN
FREQUENTLY TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP
CHANGES.
IT'S NOT AN INEXPENSIVE RESEARCH
QUESTION TO ANSWER.
SOME RESEARCH QUESTIONS ARE MORE
EXPENSIVE THAN OTHERS BUT VERY
IMPORTANT.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT
DIFFERENT CONCEPTS, ANXIETY AND
WHATEVER TERM YOU USE, WE NEED
EVERYBODY TO INTERPRET THE TERMS
THE SAME WAY OF THIS AREA AND I
HAVE SOME CONCERNS WHETHER WE
NEED SPECIFIC EVENTS.
LIKE BEFORE THE CONSTRUCT OF
PTSD THERE WAS A DIFFERENT
CONSTRUCT FOR A REACTION OF A
SYNDROME AND THERE WAS VIETNAM
DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT
SYNDROMES PRIOR TO PTSD.
IS CLIMATE ANXIETY UNIQUE?
IS THE ANXIETY TEENAGERS HAVE
THESE DAYS AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE
ANXIETY DIFFERENT FROM THE
ANXIETY I HAD IN THE '80s ABOUT
NUCLEAR CONFLICT WAS A HUGE
TOPIC IN MY COUNTRY THE
NETHERLANDS AT THAT TIME?
MAYBE THE CONCEPT DOESN'T TARGET
ONE SPECIFIC MOMENT BUT MORE
MOMENTS IN LIFE AND HISTORY THAT
ARE RELEVANT.
DO WE NEED SPECIFIC CONCEPTS FOR
EVERY SPECIFIC TARGET ONE IS ANG
SHOUT ABOUT?
SO DO WE NEED NEW INTERVENTIONS
AND APPROACHES OR DO WE NEED TO
SCALE ALREADY?
I THINK THERE'S A RISK OF
DEVELOPING INTERVENTION AND LOOK
AT THOSE TESTED AGAIN AND YOU
GET AN OVERPRODUCTION OF RCTs.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY WHEN IT
COMES TO THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL
INTERVENTIONS I DON'T THINK
THERE'S A NEED FOR ANOTHER GUIDE
BUT I COULD EASILY BE CONVINCED
OTHERWISE TO THE EXTENT OF THE
LITERATURE.
IN DIFFERENT RESEARCH WILL FOCUS
ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
RESEARCH.
SOME LIKE TO GO MORE BASIC AND
SOME APPLIED.
WHAT ABOUT THE MORE BASIC SIDE?
FOR MENTAL HEALTH IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND HOW HEAT AFFECTS
MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOW IT
AFFECTS THE MEDICINES AND SIDE
EFFECTS OR ALL ASPECTS OF
MEDICINES.
THERE'S A LOT OF TO BE DONE
THERE FOR BASIC SIGN
RESEARCHERS.
IF ONE IS MORE INTERESTED IN THE
SOCIAL ASPECT, WELL, HOW DOES
SOCIAL ASPECT OF MENTAL HEALTH
HOW DOES CLIMATE AFFECT
HOMELESSNESS?
THERE'S DIFFERENT ASPECTS
DEPENDING ON RESEARCHERS.
FOR SURE THERE'S A DIFFERENT
SCIENCE QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED.
THE LAST THING IS FROM W.H.O. WE
VERY MUCH HAVE A BIG FOCUS AND
INTEREST IN MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEMS AND SERVICES.
AND SOMETIMES WE USE THIS IDEA
IF A COUNTRY HAS A GOOD HEALTH
SYSTEM THEN IT'S WELL PREPARED
FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCIES.
PARTLY THAT'S TRUE.
IT'S TRUE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEMS AND THEY'LL DO BETTER
THAN PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE
MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM BUT EASY TO
SAY TO BE PREPARED.
THINK OF COVID-19.
BIG COUNTRIES WITH EXCELLENT
HEALTH SYSTEMS RESPOND TO
COVID-19?
NO.
RIGHT.
HANL SYSTEM REPAIRNESS FOR
DISASTERS IS MORE THAN JUST
HAVING A FUNCTIONING HEALTH
SYSTEM.
IT'S ABOUT BEING PREPARED FOR
THE TARGETS YOU NEED TO HIT
DURING THE YVCRISIS.
WE NEED TO PREPARE MENTAL HEALTH
SYSTEMS BUT WE ALSO NEED TO GO
BEYOND THAT AND DEAL WITH
SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT OCCUR.
UP COUNTRIES THAT PRESENT AND
FOR NATURAL DISASTERS THERE'S
HIGHER RATES OF NOT ONLY
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY BUT PTSD
AND MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS CAN
ALSO RESPOND TO PTSD.
THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
TO GO BEYOND RESEARCH BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO
TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS BEYOND
THE RESEARCH IN REAL LIFE AND
WHAT ONE CAN DO IN TERMS OF
PREPAREDNESS.
WE HAVE SCIENCE ON DISASTERS AND
THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY ON
DISASTERS.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR
DISASTERS?
COURTNEY HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK
AND WE FIND WHAT'S USEFUL FOR US
OUTSIDE THE MENTAL HEALTH AREA
IS DOING SIMULATIONS.
LARGE SCALE SIMULATIONS IS
ANOTHER MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION
AND AND WHERE SOMEONE WORKS WITH
100 GROUP AND DIFFERENT
SCENARIOS AND DIFFERENT ROLES
WITHIN THE SCENARIO AND PEOPLE
GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SCENARIO THERE'S THE MEDIA AND
THERE'S TEACHING POINTS AND AND
WE STARTED THREE LARGE ONES IN
THE LAST YEAR AND ONE IN TUNISIA
AND ONE IN KYIV NOT FOCUSSED ON
THE WORK GETTING WORSE IN KYIV
AND ONE IN ACETONE -- ASTONIA
AND PREPARING FOR DISASTERS.
AS A POINT OF MOVING BEYOND
EVIDENCE AND I'LL GIVE IT BACK
TO AJURA.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH TO OUR
PANELISTS AND TO MARK FOR THE
WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
NOW WE'LL TURN TO THE DISCUSSION
PORTION OF OUR SESSION.
AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, PLEASE SUBMIT THEM
USING MENTI.
WE WILL BE MONITORING THEM AND
WE MAY NOT GET TO ALL OF THEM
BUT YOU KNOW WHEREUT
YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND US.
CAN I ASK THE MICS TO BE TURNED
ON AT THE STAGE.
THANK YOU.
FIONA, I SUPPOSE I'LL START
WITH.
WE HAD QUESTIONS COME IN ABOUT
METHODS.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD
SPEAK TO WHAT KINDS OF NEW METH
LOGICAL CHALLENGES THERE ARE IN
MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT
DISCIPLINARY METHODS MAY BE
REQUIRED FOR ADDRESSING THOSE
CHALLENGES?
>> OKAY.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS SHORT.
SO THE RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE
TO DATE THERE'S GOOD STUDIES
DON'T GET ME WRONG BUT IT'S
FAIRLY FLAWED, I WOULD SAY.
IT'S NOT GREAT QUALITY RESEARCH.
ONE OF THE FOR THIS IS MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS TO MEET CLIMATE
SCIENCE OR ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE.
WE DON'T DO THAT.
WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.
IF WE'RE LEARNING A WHOLE NEW
WAY OF DOING RESEARCH.
AND THAT'S NOT AN EASY BRIDGE TO
CUT ACROSS BUT ESSENTIAL TO BE
ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO BRING THOSE
METHODS USED IN ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH OR OTHER AREAS OF CLIMATE
AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND
BRING THE MATTER TO MENTAL
HEALTH AND WE WROTE ON PROPOSED
METHODS.
I WANT TO SPEND TIME TALKING
ABOUT THAT NOW AND THE OTHER
POINT TO DO THIS WELL AND WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT IS
QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENTS,
MEASURING BURDEN OR OUTCOMES AND
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AND NOW WITH WHERE
WE NEED FAIRLY GRANULAR
GEOLOCATED DATA WHICH NOT ALWAYS
EASILY AVAILABLE.
WE CAN'T DO CROSS-SECTIONAL
SURVEYS OR DATA SETS ANYMORE.
WE NEED LONGITUDINAL DATA AND
THAT FOR MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT
PARTICULARLY AVAILABLE.
SO SOME JOIN US.
IT'S REALLY FUN.
THANK YOU.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO STUDIES
MARK WAS CALLING FOR.
WHAT YOU SEE AS KEY NEEDS BASED
ON YOUR WORK.
THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS ABOUT
YOUNG PEOPLE AND READ IT
VERBATIM IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WHY DO WE ASSUME YOUNG PEOPLE
WANT MORE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?
THE YOUNG PEOPLE I KNOW MOST OF
ALL WANT US TO STOP DESTROYING
THE PLANET.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH QUESTION
YOU'D LIKE IT TAKE FIRST BUT
I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
ONE THING I'LL NOTE IS THE LACK
OF REPRESENTATION.
AND HOW COULD WE DRAW FOR
EXAMPLE FOR THE STATISTICS
REGARDING THE KEY VULNERABLE
GROUPS.
ONE IS YOUTH AND CHILDREN.
THERE'S BEEN LARGE, IMPORTANT
SURVEY STUDIES.
HOWEVER, NOT STILL.
WE DO NOT KNOW SEVERAL THINGS
OUTSIDE OF WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED
AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEIR NEEDS
AND WHAT -- I KNOW THERE'S
SEVERAL GOOD PROJECTS, EXCITING
PROJECTS THAT ARE AIMING TO
BRING VOICES AND NARRATIVES TO
BUILD SOLUTIONS AND INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE
DATA TO BUILD EXACTLY WHAT THEY
NEED.
THERE'S ALSO A GAP WE HAVE
NOTED.
IN TERMS OF THE WORK, SOME OF
THE STUDIES WE ARE RELIED ON THE
QUANTITATIVE WINDS AND VALIDATED
SCALES AND TOOLS.
SOME OF THE LOCAL CONCEPTS
REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH MAY ONLY
APPLY TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES
AND PEOPLE WE MANAGE TO
INTERVIEW AND INVITE TO
PARTICIPATE.
ONE MAIN THING IS WE DEFINITELY
USE ALL THE GLOBAL LITERATURE.
WE USE ALL THE CONCLUSIONS AND
FINDINGS ACROSS SEVERAL REEGE
JNZ BUT WE NEED TO ACT LOCALLY
AND ADAPT AND SEE WHAT RESOURCE
AND WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE
PEOPLE.
PRETTY MUCH THE CONTEXT ISSUES
NEEDS AGENCY AND RESOURCE TO
COPE ARE PRETTY MUCH LOCAL.
IN MATERIALS OF VERY DIFFERENT
EXPOSURES, THINGS LIKE
PREPAREDNESS AND AWARENESS AND
INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND
ADDITIONAL BARRIERS AS THE
PEOPLE TO KNOW WHERE THEY CAN
GET HELP AND SUPPORT ESPECIALLY
ON THESE FREQUENT INCREASED
IMPACTS MOSTLY WILL COME ON THE
INTERRELATED AND COMPLEX
BACKGROUND AS WELL.
REGARDING THE SECOND QUESTION, I
VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE
FRUSTRATION.
I THINK REGARDING THE ACADEMIC
WORK THAT WE DO, THE POLICIES WE
TRY TO PUSH IN PLACE BUT THERE'S
AN UNDENIABLE STRUCTURAL AND
POLITICAL AGENTS IN PLACE FOR US
TO BE ABLE TO REACH THE
SOLUTIONS NEEDED.
DEFINITELY I UNDERSTAND THE
SENTIMENT AND SHARE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, ELENA.
PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE OR
PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL
PROCESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW OVER TO COURTNEY.
ALSO, TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ONE I'M GOING TO READ OUT AGAIN
VERBATIM ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
AND ANXIETY.
THE FIRST IS ABOUT THE IMPACTS
OF THE INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU
WORK WITH.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MORE
IMPACTFUL WHEN WE THINK OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH
AND I'LL LEAVE THAT WITH YOU AND
THEN HAVE THE CLIMATE ANXIETY
QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IT'S NOT JUST THE WORK I'M
INVOLVED IN BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE MECHANISMS OF CHANGE AND
UNTABLAL WHY SOME OF THE
INTEGRATED MODELS WORK BEST IN
SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR EXAMPLE,
MENTAL HEALTH, INTEGRATED
PREPAREDNESS.
THEY MAY BE MOST EFFECTIVE
BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE IN WHAT WE
TRIED TO DO AND TRIED TO EXAMINE
IF YOU CAN ADDRESS ANXIETY OR
AVOIDANCE THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM
ENGAGING IN LIKE A DIR TRAINING
OR ADDRESS COMPONENTS THAT WILL
UNDERMINE BEHAVIORAL MOTIVATION
TO PRODUCE CERTAIN BEHAVIORS
RELATED TO THAT TRAINING, THEN
NOT ONLY CAN YOU SHIFT THE
NEEDLE BUT BY SO DOING IN OTHER
WORDS BY ENABLING PEOPLE TO HAVE
A GREATER SELF-EFFICACY AND THE
COVERED TO PREPARE IN CERTAIN
WAYS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF
EVENTS, YOU CAN HAVE A DIRECT
IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH.
SO WHEN WE HAVE THESE INTEGRATED
INTERVENTIONS PART OF WHAT WE
TRIED TO DO IS STRATEGICALLY
PLACE CONTENT SO THAT CERTAIN
TYPES OF CONTENT ALLOW PEOPLE TO
BE RECEPTIVE TO OTHER KINDS OF
CONTENT.
WE'VE SEEN THAT NOT JUST FOR THE
MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATED
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS BUT
INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE AND WORK
OTHERS ARE DOING.
I WOULD SAY THERE'S STILL MORE
WORK TO BE DONE TO DISENTANGLE
THE MECHANISMS OF CHANGE AND
IT'S BEGGING OR A THREE-ARMED
NCT LOOKING AT THE INTEGRATED
AND STAND ALONE AND THE
DIFFERENTIAL IMPACTS.
>> THANK YOU.
I'LL PASS IT OVER TO
DR. CHARLSON AS WELL FOR A
COMMENT/QUESTION.
ON INTERVENTIONS, IN MY RESEARCH
NETWORK THERE'S A FEW
SOCIOLOGISTS IN THINKING THAT WE
MAY NEED TO SHIFT -- NOT AWAY
BUT TOWARDS COLLECTIVE
INTERVENTIONS.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS A COLLECTIVE
EXPERIENCE.
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT AN INDIVIDUAL
EXPERIENCE THAT MAY LEAD TO A
POOR HEALTH OUTCOME FOR AN
INDIVIDUAL.
THIS IS A COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
IMPACTED.
AND STARTED LOOKING AT HOW WE
MEASURE COLLECTIVE WELL-BEING
AND THE STATUS AND WHAT
INTERVENTIONS LOOK LIKE WHERE
WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS
COLLECTIVE WELL-BEING ACROSS
THE.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER.
>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
WE HAVEN'T COMPARED IT TO OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE INTERVENTION
MODELS WE THINK MAY BE DRIVERS
OF OUTCOME LIKE COMMUNITY
FACILITATED BY COMMUNITY IN
GROUP MEMBERS AND SO THERE'S A
SOCIAL NORM ELEMENT AND
COLLECTIVE EFFICACY PIECE BUT WE
ALWAYS MEASURE COMMUNITY
COHESION AND CONFLICT AND SOCIAL
SUPPORT AND MEASURED AND MENTAL
HEALTH S BUT DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS COMPONENTS.
I DO THINK SOME OF THE
COLLECTIVE FRAMING WITH THE
GROUP-BASED MODELS HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO REALLY BE A VERY
GOOD FIT IN TERMS OF THE BROADER
SYSTEMIC CHALLENGE.
>> THANK YOU.
MARK, MY QUESTION TO YOU AND I
KNOW WE'RE AT TIME SO I THANK
THE AUDIENCE FOR GIVING US TWO
MORE MINUTES TO HEAR MARK'S
REACTIONS, MARK, LOOKING TO YOU
AT HOW ARE OUR RESEARCH CAN
INFORM POLICY AB BASED ON WHAT
YOU HEARD TODAY WHAT YOUR
REFLECTIONS ARE ON THAT?
WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH SHOULD WE
BE DOING AND WHAT ASPECTS TODAY
RESONATED WITH YOU IN TERMS OF
WHAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING
FORWARD?
I THINK RESOURCE POLICY IN MANY
WAYS AND LOOKING AT
EVIDENCE-BASED POLICIES AND I
THINK WHAT POLICY MAKERS NEED IS
IS PARTLY EMPHASIS LIKE GOING
MORE LEFT OR RIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE RESOURCE
FOR DISTAL COMPONENTS AND FIONA
TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT LEVELS
AND COULD HAVE GONE CLOSER LIKE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH SO AT
WHAT LEVELS WE NEED TO FOCUS ON
FOR RESEARCH.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY HOW DOES
CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSE AFFECT.
THIS CONVERSATION REMINDS ME
ABOUT THE DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH
POLICY.
THERE WAS THE KIND OF DIAGRAM
THAT FIONA HAD WITH THE
DIFFERENT FACTORS AND HOW THEY
LINK TO EACH OTHER.
WE SAW LOTS OF DIAGRAMS LIKE
THIS IN THE LITERATURE 25 YEARS
AGO.
EVENTUALLY THERE WAS ENOUGH
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CORE AREAS
THAT UNDER CAME GUIDANCE FOR
SUPPORTING DISASTERS AND
EMERGENCY.
MOVING THE DIAGRAM INTO SPECIFIC
ACTIONS, WHAT EACH SECTOR COULD
DO.
AND WHAT FROM THE DIAGRAM GOES
TO THE EDUCATION SECTOR OR IF
YOU'RE A POLICY MAKER IN HEALTH
SERVICES BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE IN
PROTECTION?
I HAVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES
OR MORE HOMELESSNESS.
THAT'S HOW IT'S DEVELOPED FIRST
BIG DIAGRAMS AND EVENTUALLY
CLARITY IN WHAT EACH ACTOR HAS
TO DO.
I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ENOUGH SENSE
OF ALL THE PRESENTATIONS OF WHAT
WILL LEAD TO POLICY.
THERE'S SO MANY GAPS AND LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE.
THERE'S ENOUGH TO KNOW MENTAL
HEALTH IS IMPORTANCE.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF HOLES IN
OUR THINKING THROUGH.
MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT THE SECTORS
ARE NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
GOING OVER FOR THE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR PANELISTS
FOR TODAY AND PLEASE DO JOIN US
IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL
HEALTH RESEARCH.