The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new guide aimed at encouraging countries to move from institutionalized mental health care models to community-based, person-centred care. This announcement precedes World Mental Health Day and addresses the ongoing issue of many individuals with mental health conditions living in large psychiatric hospitals and social care institutions, often involuntarily for extended periods.
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This transition, known as deinstitutionalization, focuses on assisting individuals who have been hospitalized for six months or longer to reintegrate into their communities. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized that people should not forfeit their freedom or dignity to receive mental health support. He urged countries to divert investments from long-term institutional care towards rights-based community support.
The guide outlines practical steps for psychiatric hospital leaders, emphasizing the reduction of admissions and long stays, the need to protect patient rights within institutions, and the importance of providing necessary support for reintegration into community life. It highlights that successful deinstitutionalization requires broader access to housing, healthcare, social support, education, and employment.
WHO's Mental Health Atlas indicates that only 9% of reporting countries have fully adopted community-based mental health care, while over half are in the early stages of reform. It was also noted that 28% of individuals admitted to psychiatric hospitals stayed for more than six months.
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” The WHO guide underscores the significance of including individuals with lived experience in the development of mental health policies and services. Grace Gatera, an independent consultant and advocate, stated that understanding the journey through institutional care is vital for shaping effective services that promote recovery and community participation.
The guide was informed by global experts, including those who have personal experience with institutional care, and is adaptable to various contexts. On World Mental Health Day, the WHO urges governments to expedite the transition to community-based mental health systems that are co-created with individuals who have experienced mental health challenges, rather than for them.