Join us on Thursday, October 8, at 11:00 a.m. (Washington, D.C. time or EDT) on the webinar "From Commitment to Action: Building Intersectoral Responses to Mental Health in the Americas", organized in the context of World Mental Health Day and the Organization of American States (OAS) Second Inter-American Mental Health Week. This year, the theme aims to promote regional dialogue and the exchange of experiences on developing intersectoral responses to mental health in the Americas.
Objectives of the webinar
- Share experiences regarding coordination mechanisms between the health sector and other sectors.
- Explore the role of the OAS and inter-American cooperation in supporting national implementation.
- Raise awareness of the Declaration as a new hemispheric policy framework for intersectoral action on mental health.
- Strengthen the meaningful participation of people with lived experience in policy design, implementation, and evaluation.
- Identify immediate priorities for moving from political commitment to sustainable and verifiable actions.
How to participate
- DATE: Thursday, October 8th, 2026
- TIME: 11:00 a.m. (Washington, DC time or EDT) [Check at the end of the page for the time in other cities]
- LANGUAGES: Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
- REGISTER: https://paho-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rK3p5F0kS5-2PpEEXwgfhg#/registration
Agenda
- 11:00 a.m. - Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Renato Oliveira e Souza, Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, PAHO/WHO
- 11:05 a.m. - Webinar introduction and presentation of the guests
- Carmen Martínez, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
- 11:10 a.m. - Member State Perspective: progress and lessons learned for intersectoral action on mental health
- 11:20 a.m. - Inter-American perspective: commitments and opportunities to strengthen intersectoral action in mental health
- Claudia González Bengoa, Acting Director, Department of Access to Rights, Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy, Organization of American States (OAS)
- 11:30 a.m. - Perspective of a person with lived experience: priorities for people-centered and rights-based responses
- 11:40 a.m. - Round of dialogue with the presenters
- Moderated by: Carmen Martínez, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
- 12:05 p.m. - Q&A with the audience
- 12:25 p.m. - Final synthesis and conclusion
- Matías Irarrázaval, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
Context
In June 2026, OAS adopted the Hemispheric Declaration on Improving Mental Health in the Americas through Intersectoral and Whole-of-Government Actions. The Declaration recognizes mental health as fundamental to human dignity, social cohesion, resilience, and development, and elevates it as a hemispheric public policy priority.
The Declaration affirms that mental health cannot be addressed solely by the health sector. It requires coordinated action across the entire government and society, involving sectors such as education, finance, labor, justice, and social protection. Furthermore, it promotes sustained and predictable investment, the strengthening of mental health systems and services, prevention and early identification, and suicide prevention across the life course, with special attention to vulnerable populations.
Inter-American Mental Health Week 2026 offers an opportunity to raise public awareness of this commitment and promote the initial steps toward its implementation. Under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Advancing Mental Health through Intersectoral Action in the Americas,” the Week seeks to mobilize Member States, the OAS, PAHO, other sectors, civil society, and individuals with lived experience.
Time in other cities
- 8:00 a.m. – Los Angeles, Vancouver.
- 9:00 a.m. - Belmopan, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, San Salvador, San José (Costa Rica), Tegucigalpa.
- 10:00 a.m. - Bogotá, Kingston, Lima, Panama City, Quito.
- 11:00 a.m. - Bridgetown, Caracas, Georgetown, La Habana, La Paz, Ottawa, Puerto España, Puerto Príncipe, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Saint George's, Saint John's (Antigua), Washington D.C.
- 12:00 p.m. – Asunción, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo, Paramaribo.
- 5:00 p.m. – Ginebra, Madrid.
- For other cities, check the local times at the following link.