Guidance on mental health policy and strategic action plans: module 3: process for developing, implementing, and evaluating mental health policy and strategic action plans

Overview

Momentum is growing globally for rights-based, person-centered, and recovery-oriented mental health policies and action plans, ensuring equitable access to quality services within Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

This publication provides a clear framework for strengthening leadership, governance, service delivery, and workforce capacity. It highlights mental health’s connection to social and structural determinants—such as poverty, housing, education, and employment—offering actionable strategies to address these, combat stigma and discrimination, and expand access to care. It emphasizes the crucial role of people with lived experience in shaping inclusive, responsive systems and advocates for cross-sector collaboration to deliver holistic support, integrating lifestyle, and physical health, psychological, social, and economic interventions while promoting well-being and prevention.

The Guidance comprises five modules.

Module 3. Process for developing, implementing, and evaluating mental health policy and strategic action plans proposes an inclusive, country-led process that prioritizes and tailors policy options and strategic planning to national contexts. It also includes checklists for the key components of policy and strategic action plans and the process used to develop them.

Modules

Module 1. Introduction, purpose and use of the guidance

Module 2. Key reform areas, directives, strategies, and actions for mental health policy & strategic action plans

Module 3. Process for developing, implementing, and evaluating mental health policy & strategic action plans

Module 4. Country case scenarios

Module 5. Comprehensive directory of policy areas, directives, strategies and actions