Global Consortium for the Advancement of Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health ( GCAPP)

• History
• Overarching Aim
• Vision 2020
• Mission Statement
• Why a Global Consortium
• Goals and Objectives

History

The Consortium developed from earlier work of the World Federation for Mental Health and The Clifford Beers Foundation of the U.K. The World Federation for Mental Health had incorporated a track for promotion and prevention into the program of its biennial congresses, while The Clifford Beers Foundation had organized conferences on promotion and prevention in Europe. These organizations came together in 1997 to form the Biennial Conference Committee, with the goal of establishing an international conference series focused on the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental and behavioral disorders. The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. collaborated in the work. The overall aim was to place promotion and prevention on the international mental health agenda side-by-side with treatment and rehabilitation/ recovery. The Inaugural World Conference convened at the Carter Center on December 5-8, 2000. The World Health Organization co-sponsored the meeting.

The Second World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders was held in London, England, on September 11-13, 2002, again organized by the World Federation for Mental Health and The Clifford Beers Foundation, with the collaboration of the Carter Center and the co-sponsorship of the World Health Organization. The conference in Auckland, New Zealand, on September 14-17, 2004 was the third in the series. This time the organizing group was joined by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand as the local host.

The Biennial Conference Committee changed its name to the Global Consortium for the Worldwide Advancement of Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health at the start of 2004. An initiative is under way to expand the Consortium into a wider movement involving relevant international membership, in order to improve needed synergy worldwide. The project will build on the work accomplished by the Biennial Conference Committee and the network it has already established.

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Overarching Aim

To promote mental health and to decrease the incidence and related disease burden of mental and behavioral disorders worldwide

Vision 2020

All nations promote state-of-the-science policies, interventions and research for mental health promotion and the prevention of mental and behavioral disorders as integral to overall individual, family and societal health. A full vision statement is included in Appendix 1.

Mission Statement

To serve as a catalyst, creating synergy across international organizations and borders to expand the capacity for developing, disseminating and implementing culturally tailored, effective interventions; to expand the knowledge base; and to facilitate advocacy and recognition, policy; delivery systems, training; and resources for mental health promotion and mental disorder prevention worldwide. A full version of the mission is included in Appendix 1.

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Why is a Global Consortium Needed?

The last two decades have shown significant progress in the development of effective programs and policies to improve mental health and to prevent mental and behavioral disorders. The resulting improvements in mental health are now being recognized in terms of both social and economic benefits.
To continue to improve mental health and to further reduce the onset of mental and behavioral disorders, developed as well as developing nations, effective programs and policies need to be tailored to meet the needs of specific populations, increasing effectiveness further. Large-scale implementation and assessment also needs to be enhanced to ensure accountability and effectiveness.
Reaching these targets is only possible when a range of successive conditions is met. These include availability of epidemiological knowledge and monitoring systems, evidence on malleable risk and protective factors, policy and program development, effectiveness research, exchange of knowledge and evidence-based programs, advocacy to generate inter-sectoral support for their implementation, development of service delivery systems for prevention and promotion, budgeting systems, training programs and other strategies to expand manpower and expertise.
Poor collaboration across organizations and countries as well as the lack of information exchange, mutual support and synergy in actions form major barriers to realizing these targets and conditions. Much can be gained in terms of synergy by systematically enhancing effective collaboration and making better use of the available resources and expertise (‘strengths’) across governmental and nongovernmental agencies, nationally and internationally. 

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Goals and Objectives

1. Create an international network of organizations that serves as a global forum for information exchange and discussion, mutual support and planning of shared actions to promote mental health and prevent mental and behavioral disorders worldwide, through

1. Continuing to support the organization of the Biennial World Conferences and special topic meetings for all involved in promotion and prevention in mental health

2. Using the conferences as benchmarks of the status of the field and to identify and promote needed actions to accomplish the overall mission

3. Establishing a General Council of all participant organizations, supported by an Executive Committee, a General Secretariat, projects and Task Forces.
   

2. Building capacity for information exchange and providing other supportive services for researchers, policy makers, advocates, practitioners and consumers in low, middle and high income countries across the globe

1. Providing website information and access to databases/registries, on issues such as effective programs and policies, culturally sensitive guidelines for effective implementation, and models of organization, coalitions and infrastructures for service provision
2. Identifying and disseminating good models of training programs, and initiating the organization of international training programs and consultation
3. Facilitating the building of coalitions with other relevant sectors (e.g. education, labour and Human Rights organizations)
4. Stimulating the development of international research networks, Research & Development projects, and research agendas
   Providing a forum to discuss standards of evidence and to stimulate a common system of standards across parties and countries.
   

3. Actively pursue resources and opportunities for international activities and projects

1. Support in fund raising
2. Networking and advocacy
3. Consultation and advice in developing projects linked to the objectives of GCAPP

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