Implementing Systems Thinking for Global Mental Health during Humanitarian Emergencies

Abstract In 2019, over 168 million people across fifty-three countries were in need of emergency humanitarian relief. In addition to requiring access to basic services, such as health, shelter, water and sanitation, and social protection, many individuals in need of emergency relief are also in need of mental health and psychosocial support, or support aimed to protect and promote social well-being and prevent or treat adverse psychological outcomes. Using a number of international case examples, including from Bangladesh, Lebanon, Nepal, and as part of the COVID-19 response, we demonstrate how systems-thinking approaches can be applied across the conventional six building blocks (i.e., leadership and governance, information systems, financing, human resources, essential medical products and technologies, and health service delivery) to…