The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Organization of American States (OAS) are marking the first-ever Inter-American Mental Health Week during the second week of October, focusing on the theme “Empower, Connect, Care: Strengthening Child and Youth Mental Health in the Americas.” The initiative highlights the importance of addressing mental health challenges in children and adolescents through rights-based, patient-centered, and community-focused approaches. Activities during the week include webinars and regional workshops, such as a session on mental health services in primary care and a workshop on emergency response capacity through 911 systems.
Despite children and adolescents making up roughly 30% of the population in the Americas, their mental health needs remain largely unmet. Among young people aged 15 to 24, depression and anxiety are leading causes of years lived with disability, while suicide is the third leading cause of death. Daily challenges such as violence, bullying, poverty, health emergencies, and environmental disasters further increase the risk of mental health conditions, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
As part of efforts to strengthen early detection and care, PAHO launched an online course titled Improving the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Primary Care. Designed for healthcare professionals who are not mental health specialists—including primary care workers, nurses, psychologists, and social workers—the course covers key topics such as anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, developmental disorders, ADHD, autism, and suicide prevention. Hosted on PAHO’s Virtual Campus for Public Health, the self-paced program aims to enhance the capacity of health services to identify and respond to mental health conditions in children and adolescents effectively.
The Inter-American Mental Health Week and the new online course are part of PAHO’s broader strategy to improve mental health systems across the Region. By prioritizing early intervention, school- and community-based mental health promotion, and the training of health professionals, PAHO aims to reduce risk factors, build resilience, and ensure that child and adolescent mental health becomes a national priority in all countries and territories. Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, emphasized the urgency of action, calling on governments to foster social and emotional skills, strengthen psychosocial support in schools and communities, and integrate mental health care into primary health services.
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