Join us on Wednesday, October 8, at 11:30 a.m. (Washington DC time or EDT) on the webinar "Empower, Connect, Care: Strengthening Child and Youth Mental Health in the Americas", organized in the context of World Mental Health Day 2025. This year, the theme aims to underscore and elevate the importance of child and adolescent mental health as a regional priority in the Americas, recognizing it as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone for sustainable social and economic development.
RECORDING
During the session, PAHO will officially launch its virtual course titled “Improving the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Primary Care”, designed to strengthen the capacity of health services to respond effectively and in a timely manner to the needs of this population. The event will feature the participation of the Collaborating Center for Service Development, Training, and Research in Mental Health at the University of Chile, which will present a regional overview of the status of mental health services for children and adolescents in primary care, along with a rapid assessment tool. Additionally, a youth-led conversation focused on mental health promotion and prevention will be held by members of the “Youth for Health Group.”
The target audience for this webinar includes Member States and territories of the Americas, governmental health representatives, PAHO Collaborating Centers, researchers and academic institutions, civil society organizations, media organizations, and the general public interested in the topic.
How to participate
- DATE: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
- TIME: 11:30 a.m. (Washington, DC time or EDT) [Check at the end of the page the time in other cities]
- LANGUAGES: Spanish, English, and Portuguese, with simultaneous interpretation in those languages
- REGISTER: https://paho-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W1t_2iq8TmqaZNyOiH2Ylg#/registration
Agenda
- 11:30 am - Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Renato Oliveira e Souza, Chief, Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, PAHO/WHO
- 11:35 am - Regional Overview: Status of Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents in Primary Care & Rapid Assessment Tool
- María Sol Pastorino, Collaborating Center for Service Development, Training and Research in Mental Health, University of Chile
- 11:50 am - Launch of PAHO’s Virtual Course: Improving the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Primary Care
- Carmen Martínez, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
- 12:20 pm - Youth Conversation: on Mental Health Promotion & Prevention
- Moderator: Mafe Fino, Colombia
- Speakers:
- Milagros Martínez,
Paraguay - Rosa Prenza Marte, República Dominicana
- Kaj Archer, Bahamas
- Milagros Martínez,
- 12:40 pm - Questions and answers from the audience
- Matías Irarrazaval, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
- 12:55 pm - Closing remarks
- Matías Irarrazaval, Regional Advisor for Mental Health, PAHO/WHO
Context
Young people make up approximately 30% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean. While children and adolescents are often considered a "healthy" segment of the population, their mental health needs are frequently overlooked. Depression is the third leading cause of illness among adolescents, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 29..
Recent estimates show a 34.8% increase in the prevalence of major depressive disorders and a 31.7% increase in anxiety disorders in the region because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14, yet most cases go undetected and untreated. The early signs of mental health conditions often appear at ages when intervention is still possible and can lead to positive outcomes. Timely treatment can help prevent long-term consequences, and failure to properly identify and address mental health conditions results in higher costs for health systems..
There is growing recognition of the importance of building mental resilience from an early age. Increasing evidence shows that promoting and protecting adolescent mental health benefits not only individuals’ well-being in both the short and long term but also contributes to broader social and economic development. In primary care settings, it is essential to address the specific mental health needs of children and adolescents. This year’s World Mental Health Day serves as a call to action for individuals, organizations, and governments across the Americas to prioritize the mental health of children and adolescents.
The agenda will be uploaded shortly
Time in other cities
- 8:30 a.m. – Los Angeles, Vancouver
- 9:30 a.m. – Belmopan, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, San José (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa
- 10:30 a.m. – Bogotá, Panamá City, Kingston, Lima, Quito
- 11:30 a.m. – Bridgetown, Caracas, Georgetown, Havana, La Paz, Nassau, Ottawa, Port of Spain, Port-au-Prince, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Washington D.C.
- 12:30 p.m. – Asunción, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo, Paramaribo, Santiago,
- 5:30 p.m. – Geneva, Madrid
For other cities, please refer to the local time at this link.