Improving Access to Mental Health Services
By Shingo Iino, Board Chair of the Astellas Global Health Foundation
With the growing prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse among some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, it is critical for external partners to increase support for partnerships that improve access to mental healthcare for underserved patients and caregivers where assistance is urgently needed. The Astellas Global Health Foundation has been proud to partner with AMPATH for the past six years. Grants have supported the critical work of AMPATH in helping provide crucial mental healthcare for people in western Kenya, a region where access to basic mental health services is deeply lacking.
Astellas Global Health Foundation Board Chair Shingo Iino (right) learns about the skills training centre at the MTRH Nawiri Recovery and Skills Centre in Eldoret, Kenya.
Partnerships like AMPATH have stepped in to secure grants that help bridge critical access gaps by providing free or low-cost mental health services, counseling, support groups, education, occupational training, and more to help those in need from larger cities to the most rural communities. In addition to providing care, grant funding is utilized for health systems strengthening and for establishing key partnerships with the local government to ensure sustainability of initiated projects. To make this happen, financial support is important.
Through community-based partnerships with several non-profit organizations, our Foundation has seen first-hand the challenges facing many individuals in low- and middle-income countries because of a lack of diagnosis and access to proper treatment. These challenges also offer tremendous opportunity – and responsibility – to make a positive impact. Therefore, the Astellas Global Health Foundation is committed to supporting organizations and partnerships in reducing access issues in mental health, substance abuse, and other areas of urgent need that are not equitably served to help make a positive and sustainable impact for the health and well-being of people around the world.
It is important to recognize that this critical work also takes time. Grants funded over multiple years, rather than a single-year donation, offer valued stability for these organizations to plan and execute programs effectively and build stronger relationships within the communities and between the funders and grantees. When organizations know a program will be funded for multiple years, their teams on the ground can think through long-term strategic priorities that will achieve the most meaningful and sustainable effect.
The future is filled with promise with many efforts actively continuing to expand access to healthcare. When outside organizations support programs that increase access to mental health services, we contribute to a more compassionate society that understands mental health challenges and encourages those seeking help. The Foundation’s work with AMPATH is an example of the ways in which outside organizations can help make a meaningful difference and help build a healthier tomorrow for global patients who need mental healthcare access the most.
