Is philanthropy for mental health still in the shadows?

Despite increased attention during the pandemic, mental health philanthropy is still lagging behind. Many explanations have been given for this: the difficulty of diagnosis, the stigma mental illness can bring with it, the lack of a coordinated response from the medical and funding communities.

Alongside Alliance’s March 2022 issue on the same subject, we convened an expert panel in partnership with StrongMinds to have a global conversation. Moderated by Features Editor Andrew Milner, the event included:

• Krystian Seibert, Swinburne University, chair of Mental Health First Aid Australia International, and guest editor of Alliance’s March issue on mental health
• Raj Mariwala, Director of Mariwala Health Initiative
• Danielle Kemmer, Executive Director of International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders

A few highlights from the event:

• ‘If we’ve got something that is so clearly a global problem, and we need philanthropy to be involved, then it hasn’t stepped up to that’, said Seibert in his opening remarks.
• Mariwala: ‘Imagine a relief org sets up a mental health camp for a geographically inaccessible community, like a heart or eye camp. Do the people there even have access to the language of ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’?’ on why context is crucial in mental health.
• ‘We talk a lot about the burden and lack of funding, but we still don’t talk about the effective solutions. There are a few that work, and research and evidence can help tell this narrative’, said Kemmer.

Watch the full recording of the event here:

New issue: Mental health philanthropy

This issue of Alliance explores the present state of philanthropy for mental health (who is doing what and where the gaps are), the intersections with other issues, the factors which have limited mental health philanthropy and the steps that are needed to bring philanthropists together to make common cause in the area. Guest edited by Krystian Seibert, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University Australia and chair, Mental Health First Aid, Australia.

Subscribe today to receive a copy.