Scaling Up Global Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000774
• Publication Date: 2021-07-08T11:28:10Z
• Authors: Frances Adiukwu; Renato de Filippis; Laura Orsolini; Drita Gashi Bytyçi; Sheikh Shoib; Ramdas Ransing; Mohammad Slaih; Florence Jaguga; Jibril I. M. Hand...; Margaret Isioma O...; Irfan Ullah; Ruta Karaliuniene; Sachin Nagendrappa; Bita Vahdani; Agaah Ashrafi; Dorottya Ori; Camille Noël; Zargham Abbass; Chonnakarn Jatcha...; Mariana Pinto da ...; Lamiaà Essam; Ramyadarshni Vadivel; Mohammadreza Shal...
• Keywords: Telepsychiatry; Pandemic; Global Health; Global mental health

Every health care system requires an adequate workforce, service delivery, financial support, and information technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, global systems were ill prepared to address rising prevalence of mental problems, especially in low- middle-income countries (LMICs), thereby increasing treatment gaps. To close these gaps globally, task shifting telepsychiatry should be made available maximized, particularly LMICs. Task nonspecialist workers improve essential coverage encourage efficient use resources technology has become most viable strategy.