Making Mental Health a Global Priority 

ABOUT WFMH
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	Who We Are WFMH is an international membership organization founded in 1948 to advance, among all peoples and nations, the prevention of mental and emotional disorders, the proper treatment and care of those with such disorders, and the promotion of mental health. The Federation, through its members and contacts in more than 100 countries on six continents, has responded to international mental health crises through its role as the only worldwide grassroots advocacy and public education organization in the mental health field. Its organizational and individual membership includes mental health workers of all disciplines, consumers of mental health services, family members, and concerned citizens. The organization’s broad and diverse membership makes possible collaboration among governments and non-governmental organizations to advance the cause of mental health services, research, and policy advocacy worldwide.
	Vision, Mission, Goals, Values and Principles Vision The World Federation for Mental Health envisions a world in which mental health is a priority for all people. Public policies and programs reflect the crucial importance of mental health in the lives of individuals. Mission The mission of the World Federation for Mental Health is to promote the advancement of mental health awareness, prevention of mental disorders, advocacy, and best practice recovery focused interventions worldwide. Goals To heighten public awareness about the importance of mental health, and to gain understanding and improve attitudes about mental disorders. To promote mental health and prevent mental disorders. To improve the care, treatment and recovery of people with mental disorders. Values The World Federation for Mental Health believes that lived values are key determinants of mental health, along with the contributions of biological, psychological, and social influences and evidence-based treatments. The core value driving the World Federation for Mental Health is the crucial role of mental health in the fulfillment of individual lives and society at large. Values to which the World Federation for Mental Health is committed include the following statements taken as a whole: Organizational representation, transparency and accountability Proactive interventions, such as advocacy and education, to promote human rights, self-development and self-management Respect for cultural diversity Mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders compliment treatment and recovery Inclusive, user and family centered, recovery-oriented mental health treatment and rehabilitation services Compassion and selflessness in all human endeavors Balancing self-sufficiency and inter-dependence as a principle of personal mental health Responsiveness to change as a principle of effective mental health treatment (Adopted by the WFMH Board of Directors, 22 August 2007) Principles The following principles will guide the future initiatives, programs and activities of WFMH: Adults and children in all communities shall be made aware of the importance of mental health, and of the recognition and response to treatment of mental illness and disability. Users/consumers and families/carers will participate in all the health and social service departments and committees of member countries. Local services for mental illness and disability shall be given equal consideration for resource allocation to those of physical illness in every country. Mental illness and disability shall be equally represented with physical illness in the proceedings and resolutions of the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organization, and through them of governments. Human rights abuse, malpractice or discrimination, or bad living or working conditions for users/consumers and those who care for them, including families/carers, professional and voluntary workers, shall be widely reported and governments held accountable. There will be mental health associations in all countries to advocate for improvements in mental health, better provision of services for those with mental illness and disability, and to provide voluntary services. There will be adequate and affordable access to appropriate mental health treatment and recovery services for all those who need them. There will be an efficient means of communicating and disseminating policy, educational, technological and scientific information on mental health from those who have it to those who do not. There will be an effective program for encouraging advocacy and research in the prevention of mental illness and disability and in the promotion of mental health. There will be no race, age, gender, religious or cultural discrimination in the provision of mental health services. (Adopted by the WFMH Board of Directors, 22 August 2007) TOP
	2007-09 WFMH Board of Directors meeting in Hong Kong, 22 August 2007 First Row (l to r): John Copeland, Shona Sturgeon, Raluca Nica, Charles Ray, Shridhar Sharma, Deborah Wan Second Row (l to r): Helen Millar, Helen Herrman, Mercedes Rivas-Torres, Tony Fowke, Haroon Chaudhry, Felicien Ntone-Enyime, Gabriela Camara, George Christodoulou, Mohammed Abou-Saleh, Richard Studer, Brian Howard WFMH Board Not Picture: L. Patt Franciosi, Sylvester Katontoka, Elizabeth Matare, Roger Montenegro, Brian Robertson, Wei Tsuen Soong
	2007-09 Executive Committee John Copeland UK President   Charles G. Ray USA Treasurer       Shona Sturgeon South Africa Immediate Past President   Brian Howard Ireleand Corporate Secretary       Anthony Fowke Australia President Elect   Shridhar Sharma Australia Vice President Constituency Development       L. Patt Franciosi USA Vice President Program Development     TOP
	2007-09 Regional Vice-Presidents AFRICA Felicien Ntone-Enyime, MD CAMEROON ASIA PACIFIC Deborah Wan Hong Kong EASTERN MEDITERAREAN Haroon Chaudhry, MD PAKISTAN EUROPE Helen L. Millar, MD SCOTLAND LATIN AMERICA Roger Montenegro, MD ARGENTINA NORTH AMERICA Richard Studer UNITED STATES OCEANIA Helen Herrman, MD AUSTRALIA
	Directors AFRICA Sylvester Katontoka Elizabeth Matare Brian Robertson, MD ZAMBIA SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA ASIA PACIFIC W. T. Soong, MD TAIWAN EUROPE Mohammed Abou-Saleh, MD George Christodoulou, MD Raluca Nica UNITED KINGDOM GREECE ROMANIA LATIN AMERICA Gabriela Camara Mercedes Rivas-Torres, MD MEXICO COSTA RICA       2007 - 2009 Nominating Committee AFRICA Shona Sturgeon (Chair) SOUTH AFRICA ASIA PACIFIC Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, MD JAPAN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN Maan Barry, PhD YEMEN EUROPE Leo de Graaf, MD NETHERLANDS LATIN AMERICA Miguel Jorge, MD BRAZIL NORTH AMERICA William McPhee CANADA OCEANIA Janet Meagher AUSTRALIA
	SENIOR CONSULTANT Eugene B. Brody, MD SENIOR CONSULTANT WFMH Collaborating Centers Max Abbott, MD LEAD REPRESENTATIVE UNITED NATIONS –NEW YORK Nancy Wallace, MSW LEAD REPRESENTATIVE UN AND WHO – GENEVA Myrna Lachenal-Merritt
	Staff at the WFMH Secretariat Preston J. Garrison Secretary-General & Chief Executive Officer Ellen R. Mercer Deputy Executive Officer Director, WFMH Center for Transcultural Mental Health Elena Berger Director, WFMH Office for Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention in Mental Disorders Deborah Maguire Director, Mental Health Awareness and Information Services Betty Z. Jones Executive Assistant & Membership Services Diane Tacker Financial and Administrative Assistant
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