Mental health will be a primary focus for the first time at an United Nations General Assembly session [ on Sept. 25].  [Becker's Behavioral Health] 

World leaders are expected to adopt a declaration that outlines global priorities to improve mental healthcare access, according to a Sept. 25 report. The declaration calls for expanded access to primary care, recognition of shared risk factors between noncommunicable diseases and mental health, and the creation of a mechanism for sustainable financing — particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 

“This is the first time that we can report more than 1 billion people have a mental health condition,” Devora Kestel, MD, director ad interim director of noncommunicable diseases and mental health at the World Health Organization said. “Only 9% of people with depression … receive support. Only 40% of people with psychosis receive help.”

The proposed declaration prioritizes integrated, community-level services and cross-sector collaboration in areas such as nutrition, air quality and economic policy, according to the report. WHO leaders also emphasized the need to amplify the voices of people with lived experience and reduce stigma around mental health.

The meeting aims to elevate mental health as a core global health issue and spur coordinated political action across UN member states, according to the report. 

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