Making Mental Health a Global Priority 
 
ABOUT WFMH
  Who We Are

WFMH is an international membership organization founded in 1948 to advance, among all peoples and nations, the prevention of mental and emotional disorders, the proper treatment and care of those with such disorders, and the promotion of mental health. The Federation, through its members and contacts in more than 100 countries on six continents, has responded to international mental health crises through its role as the only worldwide grassroots advocacy and public education organization in the mental health field. Its organizational and individual membership includes mental health workers of all disciplines, consumers of mental health services, family members, and concerned citizens. The organization’s broad and diverse membership makes possible collaboration among governments and non-governmental organizations to advance the cause of mental health services, research, and policy advocacy worldwide.
 

 

 
  Historical Information

(If you would like to have your own copy of either Searching for Mental Health or Reflections – please contact info@wfmh.com for more information)

   
  Vision, Mission, Goals, Values and Principles

Vision

The World Federation for Mental Health envisions a world in which mental health is a priority for all people. Public policies and programs reflect the crucial importance of mental health in the lives of individuals.

Mission

The mission of the World Federation for Mental Health is to promote the advancement of mental health awareness, prevention of mental disorders, advocacy, and best practice recovery focused interventions worldwide.

Goals

To heighten public awareness about the importance of mental health, and to gain understanding and improve attitudes about mental disorders.

To promote mental health and prevent mental disorders.

To improve the care, treatment and recovery of people with mental disorders.

Values

The World Federation for Mental Health believes that lived values are key determinants of mental health, along with the contributions of biological, psychological, and social influences and evidence-based treatments.

The core value driving the World Federation for Mental Health is the crucial role of mental health in the fulfillment of individual lives and society at large.

Values to which the World Federation for Mental Health is committed include the following statements taken as a whole:

  • Organizational representation, transparency and accountability
  • Proactive interventions, such as advocacy and education, to promote human rights, self-development and self-management
  • Respect for cultural diversity
  • Mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders compliment treatment and recovery
  • Inclusive, user and family centered, recovery-oriented mental health treatment and rehabilitation services
  • Compassion and selflessness in all human endeavors
  • Balancing self-sufficiency and inter-dependence as a principle of personal mental health
  • Responsiveness to change as a principle of effective mental health treatment
    (Adopted by the WFMH Board of Directors, 22 August 2007)

Principles

The following principles will guide the future initiatives, programs and activities of WFMH:

  • Adults and children in all communities shall be made aware of the importance of mental health, and of the recognition and response to treatment of mental illness and disability.
  • Users/consumers and families/carers will participate in all the health and social service departments and committees of member countries.
  • Local services for mental illness and disability shall be given equal consideration for resource allocation to those of physical illness in every country.
  • Mental illness and disability shall be equally represented with physical illness in the proceedings and resolutions of the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organization, and through them of governments.
  • Human rights abuse, malpractice or discrimination, or bad living or working conditions for users/consumers and those who care for them, including families/carers, professional and voluntary workers, shall be widely reported and governments held accountable.
  • There will be mental health associations in all countries to advocate for improvements in mental health, better provision of services for those with mental illness and disability, and to provide voluntary services.
  • There will be adequate and affordable access to appropriate mental health treatment and recovery services for all those who need them.
  • There will be an efficient means of communicating and disseminating policy, educational, technological and scientific information on mental health from those who have it to those who do not.
  • There will be an effective program for encouraging advocacy and research in the prevention of mental illness and disability and in the promotion of mental health.
  • There will be no race, age, gender, religious or cultural discrimination in the provision of mental health services.

(Adopted by the WFMH Board of Directors, 22 August 2007)

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  2009-11 Executive Committee
Anthony Fowke
Australia

President
  Charles G. Ray
USA

Treasurer
     
John Copeland
United Kingdom

Immediate
Past President
  Roger Montenegro
Argentina

Corporate Secretary
     
Deborah Wan
Hong Kong

President Elect
  Helen Millar
Scotland
Vice President
Constituency Development
     
L. Patt Franciosi
USA

Vice President
Program Development
   
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  2009-2011 Regional Vice-Presidents
AFRICA Brian Robertson SOUTH AFRICA
ASIA PACIFIC Tsuyoshi Akiyama JAPAN
EASTERN MEDITERAREAN Haroon Chaudhry PAKISTAN
EUROPE George Christodoulou  GREECE
LATIN AMERICA Mercedes Rivas Torres COSTA RICA
NORTH AMERICA Diane Froggatt CANADA
OCEANIA Helen Herrman AUSTRALIA
   
  2009-2011 Directors
Mohammed Abou-Saleh UNITED KINGDOM  
Gabriela Camara MEXICO  
Yoram Cohen ISRAEL  
Rafia Gubash BAHRAIN  
Sylvester Katontoka ZAMBIA  
Porsche Poh SINGAPORE  
Shridhar Sharma INDIA  
Richard Studer UNITED STATES  
Shona Sturgeon AFRICA  
     
2009 - 2011 Nominating Committee
AFRICA Shona Sturgeon (Chair)  
ASIA PACIFIC Shridhar Sharma  
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN Haroon Chaudhry  
EUROPE John Copeland (Chair)  
LATIN AMERICA Roger Montenegro  
NORTH AMERICA Patt Franciosi  
OCEANIA Peter McGeorge  
   
  Senior Consultants, Lead Reps for the UN
 
SENIOR CONSULTANT Eugene B. Brody, MD
SENIOR CONSULTANT
WFMH Collaborating Centers

Max Abbott, MD
LEAD REPRESENTATIVE
UNITED NATIONS –NEW YORK

Nancy Wallace, MSW
LEAD REPRESENTATIVE
UN AND WHO – GENEVA

Myrna Lachenal-Merritt
ADVISOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES Preston J. Garrison
   
  Staff at the WFMH Secretariat
Charles Ray Interim Operations Manager
Elena Berger Director, WFMH Office for Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention in Mental Disorders
Deborah Maguire Director, Mental Health Awareness and Information Services
Betty Z. Jones Executive Assistant & Membership Services
Diane Tacker Financial and Administrative Assistant
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© 2007

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