Lessons learned in developing community mental health care in East and South East Asia

Abstract

This paper summarizes the findings for the East and South East Asia Region of the WPA Task Force on Steps, Obstacles and Mistakes to Avoid in the Implementation of Community Mental Health Care. The paper presents a description of the region, an overview of mental health policies, a critical appraisal of community mental health services developed, and a discussion of the key obstacles and challenges. The main recommendations address the needs to campaign to reduce stigma, integrate care within the general health care system, prioritize target groups, strengthen leadership in policy making, and devise effective funding and economic incentives.