Pre-service Education in Mental, Brain and Behavioural Health: Scaling Up Implementation and Dissemination Workshop
In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been working to enhance undergraduate education for healthcare professionals, particularly doctors and nurses, in the domains of mental health, brain health, and substance use conditions.
Following a workshop convened in Geneva in 2022, a pivotal recommendation emerged: the development of a practical guide by WHO to facilitate the integration of mental health education into the curriculum of future general health professionals, particularly nursing and medical students. This guide, anchored in a competency-based framework, emphasizes the cultivation of core competencies essential for mental health care.
Photo by the Shanghai WHO Collaborating Center - Dr. Angel Belle Dy
As part of the preliminary activities for the guide's release, stakeholders from around the world convened in Shanghai last March 13-14, 2024 for a strategic planning session aimed at implementation and dissemination. It is a collective aspiration to empower future generations of doctors and nurses with mental health competencies to bridge the gap in mental health provision through enhanced medical education. As a participant and presenter to these meetings, the ASMPH, represented by Dr. Angel Belle Dy, is eager to contribute to this transformative initiative and witness its profound impact on shaping the future of medical education and healthcare delivery in the Philippines and worldwide.
Photo by the Shanghai WHO Collaborating Center
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Directory for Mental Health Services - Expanding access to resources for children with autism
Autism affects an estimated 1 in 127 people worldwide, yet the Philippines has no national prevalence data of its own. The Ateneo Autism Study Group (AASG), under ASMPH's Center for Research and Innovation, is working to change that: developing screening tools for children, youth, and adults with autism as the foundation for a future nationwide prevalence study funded by DOST. Access to care is part of the same problem. To help families navigate it, AASG has built a directory of therapy centers, professionals, and educational resources for children with autism across Metro Manila, Iloilo City, Davao City, and Cagayan de Oro. Professionals and service providers are invited to join the effort by adding their services to the list.
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Strengthening Community Mental Health: mhGAP Training in Albay
From July 2 to 4, 2025, frontline health workers in Albay completed intensive mhGAP training under the Ka-ginhawa Project, a partnership initiative supported by the Australian Government, CBM Global Disability Inclusion, and the Balik Kalipay Center for Psychosocial Response. The three-day program equipped local providers with essential skills to assess and manage mental health conditions while strengthening referral networks across the province.