Parents Forum will be on the panel! The NGO Committee on Mental Health invites you to a briefing and panel discussion for
“Mental Health in Primary Care: Enhancing Treatment & Promoting Mental Health”
Thursday, 8 October 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm
at the Church Center, 777 United Nations Plaza 8th Floor – Boss Room
on 44th Street between First and Second Avenues
World Mental Health Day 2009 calls attention to the importance of mental health as a global priority for people and governments in every country. Mental health is an integral part of an individual’s overall health and wellbeing. This year’s campaign is intended to draw worldwide attention to the growing body of knowledge on the benefits of enhancing overall health and promoting mental health by integrating healthcare services. The burden of mental disorders is great and prevalent in all societies. They create substantial personal burdens for affected individuals and their families, and produce significant economic and social hardships that affect society as a whole. Major depression will soon be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Out of the estimated 450 million people globally who have a mental health disorder, fewer than half receive the help they need. The effective integration of mental health into primary healthcare services must become a priority.