Join us on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. (Washington DC, or EST) for the webinar, Transforming Mental Health Through Information Systems. This webinar aims to provide a broad understanding of MHIS, highlighting their importance for planning, which seeks to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of mental health services, and to ensure more equitable services. By enabling managers and service providers to make evidence-based decisions, continuous quality improvement in care is encouraged. In summary, an MHIS is an action-oriented system: it is not limited to data collection but also facilitates decision-making in all areas of the mental health system.
Objectives:
- Promote the development and strengthening of mental health information systems to guide appropriate policies and services, and to reduce disparities in access to mental health care.
- Explore strategies for implementing integrated information systems within healthcare systems, facilitating the collection of reliable and disaggregated data.
- Emphasize the importance of providing training on developing information systems, including technical guidance and the definition of basic indicators, to ensure effective and sustainable implementation.
- Facilitate, during the webinar, the exchange of experiences and best practices in strengthening information systems among mental health professionals, health information system experts, and teams with experience in developing and implementing mental health information systems.
- Provide information on available resources to strengthen information systems, surveillance, and scientific evidence in mental health, promoting access to relevant and up-to-date information.
How to participate
- DATE: Tuesday 26 November 2024
- TIME: 11:00 A.M. (Washington D.C. or EST) [Check the time in other cities at the bottom of this page]
- LANGUAGES: Spanish and English with simultaneous translation.
- REGISTRATION: https://paho-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dq6O1tDMS627ip2968YKzQ#/registration
Agenda
- 11:00 am - Welcome to the webinar
- Carmen Martínez-Viciana. Regional Advisor on Mental Health and Substance Use for Central America, Latin Caribbean, and Mexico (PAHO/WHO)
- 11:10 am - Information to Support the Improvement of Mental Health Services in the Region of the Americas
- Ramón Martínez, Specialist in Health Metrics, Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH)(PAHO/WHO).
- Matías Irarrazával, Regional Advisor Mental Health and Substance Use, PAHO/WHO.
- 11:25 am - An Argentine experience to strengthen the mental health information system
- Liliana Urbina, National Consultant on Mental Health and Substance Use, PAHO in Argentina.
- Narena Ayala, National Consultant on Mental Health and Substance Use.
- Magali Gaudio, Expert in Monitoring and Evaluation of Mental Health for PAHO/WHO Argentina.
- 11:40 am - Enlazados Project: From Data to Action
- Santiago Occidente, Chile.
- Daniela Rivera Espinoza. PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center at the University of Chile for the Development of Services, Training, and Research in Mental Health.
- 11:45 am - Questions & Answers
- 12:20 pm - Final remarks and closure
- Matías Irarrazával, Regional Advisor Mental Health and Substance Use, PAHO/WHO
Context
PAHO is organizing the sixth webinar in the series "Foundations for Change in Mental Health in the Americas," which is focused on mental health information systems (MHIS). Strengthening data, evidence, and research on mental health and psychoactive substance use is one of the five strategic lines of the Policy for Improving Mental Health (PAHO, 2023), which considers them fundamental tools to guide policies, planning, and service delivery. For this purpose, basic indicators of mental health and psychoactive substance use must be collected and disseminated regularly and systematically through national health information systems.
Foundations for Change in Mental Health in the Americas
With the purpose of improving the quality of care and protecting the rights of people with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities, PAHO/WHO advocates for a community-based, person-centered approach to mental health in the Americas, rights-based and recovery-oriented.
Previous sessions:
- Restructuring and scaling up mental health care for impactful change
- Improving Mental Health through Social Determinants
- Human Rights and Legislative Transformation in Mental Health
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support: Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Preventing mental health conditions
Time in other cities
- 8:00 a.m. – Los Angeles, Vancouver.
- 10:00 a.m. - Belmopan, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, San Jose (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa.
- 11:00 a.m. – Bogota, Kingston, Lima, Panama City, Quito, Washington D.C., Havana, Port-au-Prince, Nassau, Ottawa.
- 12:00 p.m. - Bridgetown, Caracas, Georgetown, La Paz, Port of Spain, San Juan, Santo Domingo.
- 1:00 p.m. – Asunción,Buenos Aires, Santiago, Brasilia, Montevideo, Paramaribo.
- 5:00 p.m. – Geneva, Madrid.
For other cities, check the local time using the following link.