On its 50th anniversary WFMH is planning for the future. This process was begun late in 1997with a meeting in Yemen, and in 1998 with a symposium in Maastricht. It will continuethroughout the year in Edinburgh, Tokyo-Niigata, Taipei, New York, Tasmania and London. WFMHs members and member associations have given 50 years of service in their roles asadvocates, clinicians, consumer activists and preventionists and more. Today these efforts aregaining momentum as innovations at all levels are supplementing established programs.
The Strategic Vision Statement of the draft long-range plan, written by the workgroup of BeverlyLong, John Gates, Thom Bornemann and Bill Phelps, includes four mission goals and wasformally accepted during the WFMH Board Meeting in Maastricht on 7 March. It will lead to aset of initiatives and plans which are currently being developed with fundable programs in mind.
The new International Panel of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry is organizing itself as aplatform able to provide input to the Board. The Committee on Refugees and Other Migrants hasbeen reconstituted and is developing its agenda. New initiatives in regard to membership,prevention, health promotion, aging, and public education are underway. The European RegionalCouncil of WFMH has proposed a new name for itself, Mental Health Europe. It will continue toclarify its role and strengthen its position as the leading mental health NGO in Europe over thecoming years. The African Regional Council is participating as an advisor in a EuropeanCommission program to assist the development of mental health policies in Southern Africa.
Collaborating Centers have been active in supporting WFMH, and the Board has accepted anew Center at the State University of New York, Stony Brook (USA) to advise on thepsychological aspects of somatic illness, an important and often neglected area of mental health. The Prevention Collaborating Center at the Johns Hopkins University has worked along with theEuropean Prevention and Promotion group and the Clifford Beers Foundation to develop plans fora WFMH Prevention and Health Promotion Congress in 2000 (which may then be heldbiennially). The IPSER program in Maastricht together with WorldView Television and theNations for Mental Health Program of WHO has started a Global Mental Health VideoConsortium in which mental health promotional videos will be produced around the world fordiscussion groups, media campaigns and World Mental Health Day messages. The Institute ofAgeing in Liverpool has been asked to develop an International Committee on Ageing for theFederation. The Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma and STARTTS (Service for the Treatmentand Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) in Australia have made significantcontributions to refugee care worldwide.
The program of the World Congress in Chile in 1999 is taking shape under the guidance ofBenjamin Vicente; planning for the Vancouver World Congress in 2001 is making progress underthe leadership of Chuni Roy; and plans for the 50th Anniversary Celebration in London are wellunder way, led by Edith Morgan and Rachel Jenkins. The continuing success of World MentalHealth Day managed by Dick Hunter, and new initiatives such as a 50th Anniversary membershipdrive and the ongoing efforts of our many mental health associations indicate that WFMH is anactive organization capable of sustaining partnerships for mental health worldwide. In the first week of March 1998, at the symposium From research to advocacy:Partners inmental health overcoming barriers in collaboration in Maastricht, the Netherlands, I was happy towelcome the WFMH Board, Regional Vice Presidents, representatives of our UN group, and ofWFMH Committees, Collaborating Centers, advisors and consumers as well as representatives ofgovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The symposium, sponsored by a number ofgovernmental and non-governmental donors, was intended to facilitate the WFMH long rangeplanning process by emphasizing how best to use scientific information in a regionally sensitiveway.
The goal was to stimulate program development to improve WFMH advocacy. A broadspectrum of participants was invited in order to inform the Board and each other about currentactivities and plans. The opening event, a Mental Health Forum, had national, international,non-governmental and industrial presentations demonstrating the diversity of approaches toservices and prevention in Western countries, with an eye to the lessons that could be learned fordeveloping countries. After the Forum the main symposium included discussions of scientificperspectives, regional developments and partnerships in mental health. Potential collaborations forthe application and dissemination of scientific findings in prevention, services and advocacyprograms were reviewed, and this was placed in the context of the tremendous diversity of theWFMH regions. Representatives of users/consumers/survivors strongly emphasized the need fortheir active engagement in Federation activities.
The program was ambitious, the organization laborious, but the event infused us with newenergy. The workgroups on the third day demonstrated a willingness by people of divergentbackgrounds to work together on partnerships and mental health. Now, the hard work ofdeveloping these ideas into a strategic plan that includes implementable programs and activitiesmust begin. The energy and dedication of many will be needed. We hope that the symposiumand all 50th anniversary events will act as catalysts for the realization of WFMH mission goals. To achieve this we will continue to rely on the voluntary efforts of people worldwide who arededicated to the improvement of mental health. There are many signs during this time ofheightened awareness for world mental health that our voices are being heard, largely because ofyour dedicated efforts.
Marten deVries