Momentum is growing globally for rights-based, person-centered, and recovery-oriented mental health policies and action plans, ensuring equitable access to quality services within Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

This publication provides a clear framework for strengthening leadership, governance, service delivery, and workforce capacity. It highlights mental health’s connection to social and structural determinants—such as poverty, housing, education, and employment—offering actionable strategies to address these, combat stigma and discrimination, and expand access to care. It emphasizes the crucial role of people with lived experience in shaping inclusive, responsive systems and advocates for cross-sector collaboration to deliver holistic support, integrating lifestyle, and physical health, psychological, social, and economic interventions while promoting well-being and prevention.

The Guidance comprises five modules.

Module 4. Country case scenarios presents three examples that highlight varied approaches to mental health policy reform, including the selection and adaptation of directives, strategies, and actions to suit specific local contexts

• Module 1. Introduction, purpose and use of the guidance
• Module 2. Key reform areas, directives, strategies, and actions for mental health policy & strategic action plans
• Module 3. Process for developing, implementing, and evaluating mental health policy & strategic action plans
• Module 5. Comprehensive directory of policy areas, directives, strategies and actions 

P.34 Specific actions that the education sector could consider
Guidance on policy directives and strategic actions to promote and protect mental health and well-being across government sectors, forthcoming.
Promote access to the education system, from pre-school to higher education, for children and adolescents with mental health conditions, psychosocial disabilities, or those experiencing a short- or long-term mental health crisis or emotional distress, and others at risk of discrimination, by implementing systems to promote inclusion and accessibility and respond to inequalities.
Mandate educational institutions to develop a policy and strategy for mental health and well-being, created with the participation of children and adolescents with lived experience. This strategy should include mental health protection and promotion, as well as non-discriminatory access to high-quality, rights-based supports for all students and staff.
Establish evidence-based programmes in educational institutions addressing pressing issues in student populations, including bullying, suicide, violence, (sexual) harassment and substance use, as well as initiatives to change attitudes, mindsets, and eliminate stigma and discrimination around mental health conditions.