Professor Anil Thapliyal
Auckland, December 18, 2020
As an immigrant, New Zealand Māori or Pacific person should I expect mental health services to be designed by my people and ingrained within my cultural context?
As a member of the LGBTQ community, should I expect fair treatment in a way that is respectful of who I am? If I live in a remote and rural location, should I expect the same access to services as people living in the main cities?
The answer is Yes.
Some alarming facts
These facts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) remain alarming: “Close to one billion people globally have a mental disorder, with those with severe mental disorders likely to die 10-20 years earlier than the general population …Relatively few people around the world have access to quality mental health services, especially in low- and middle-income countries where more than 75% of people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders receive no treatment for their condition at all.”
Too many Covid deaths
2020 has added a new level of urgency to this global situation. At the time of writing, the world has been recording an average of 9250 Covid-19 deaths per day- a staggering number by any measure. The impact of this escalating death toll compounded with second waves of infection, intermittent lockdowns and ensuing economic impact are contributing to unprecedented levels of mental health issues. Already, stretched mental health services are feeling even more strain in responding to Covid-19 related demand.
Digital mental health tools
eMental Health offers real solutions to these global challenges. Digital mental health tools and services are designed to span a person’s journey from information provision and wellbeing advice to self-help tools and treatment interventions.
When designed and implemented well, they provide a person with the resources and support they need to be in control of their recovery at a time and place of their choosing while reducing pressure on existing mental health services.
A positive aspect of the pandemic has been the acceleration of innovation which has seen some amazing eMental Health solutions being developed and exceptional capital being injected into the long cash-starved domain of eMental Health.
Whether due to Covid-19 restrictions, financial, family or privacy issues, or living remotely, the growing range of eMental Health solutions is making it easier for a person to access support wherever and whenever they need it from someone who understands them, in an environment of trust and confidentiality.
Encouraging Development
While this sudden surge in eMental Health development is very encouraging, if unchecked without overarching systems-level planning (frameworks, standards and/or guidelines) it has the potential to create quality assurance and safety challenges whether it be security, privacy, data integrity or efficacy. The proliferation of eMental Health options can also embed and exacerbate pre-existing silos responsible for isolating communities when those communities are not actively involved in the design process.
We need to maintain our drive to ensure digital solutions are either evidence based (or at the least, evidence informed), meet minimum standards, are informed by the communities they are for and cause no harm.
Mitigating inequities
We at the eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC) see the strengthening of an eMental Health and Addiction ecosystem as a once in a lifetime opportunity to mitigate inequities and connect with the disconnected.
eMHIC has seen tremendous willingness and motivation by countries to collaborate across borders from Europe, North America, Australasia, Central Asia to Asia.
Governments around the world are seeking scalable, innovative eMental Health solutions to support people’s journey through the healthcare system.
Annual International Congress
It was therefore only fitting that the theme of eMHIC Annual International Congress held last month in New Zealand was ‘Equity’.
During the one-day event, global eMental Health experts gathered both virtually and in-person from Singapore, Sweden, Australia, UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the APEC countries to discuss how eMental Health approaches can help tackle inequities around access to mental health services and enable greater choice of services to under-represented populations around the world.
New Mental Wellbeing Framework
One example of New Zealand innovation which surfaced at the Congress was the Ministry of Health’s new Mental Wellbeing Framework which has now placed social, cultural, and economic determinants as the Ministry’s top priority and key condition for equity.
Another exciting initiative saw Spark work together with other telecommunications providers to offer access to particular mental health resources without incurring data charges. Similar initiatives are taking off around the world, all aimed at getting digital mental health technology to where it is needed, breaking down existing silos and enabling access to all populations.
There is vast potential for eMental Health solutions (text, online forums, social media, websites, phone and apps) to serve as digital lifelines, enabling a person to be in control of their recovery at a time and place of their choosing, stay safe and maintain a sense of belonging and connection.
At eMHIC, we aim to provide the knowledge, resources and avenues for cross-border collaboration needed to get there.
By encouraging and facilitating bold leadership, risk-taking, community co-design and multi-level collaboration, we can help ensure eMental Health solutions work for the people using them, their families, and the communities in which they live.
Professor Anil Thapliyal is Executive Director, eMental Health International Collaborative and Chief Executive of HealthTRx Limited based in Auckland. He is on the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Mr Thapliyal is a nationally and internationally celebrated thought-leader and entrepreneur in mental health. He is widely recognised for leading transformation in the Mental Health domain through the application of digital technologies seamlessly integrated within people’s care to improve access, engagement and treatment.
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