Topic: Expanding Mental Health Resources
Country: Sweden
Delegate Name: Anton Ludwig
School: East Grand Rapids High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Sweden position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
Mental health is a topic which historically has been ignored and brushed off. Mental illnesses were often accepted as signs of inferiority in society, and those who needed help were instead spurned and rejected. Today, while mental health is properly recognized as a serious issue, providing proper and effective treatment still faces many challenges, such as the need for qualified practitioners and the difficulty of obtaining proper diagnosis. Only recently has the international community begun to bring this to the forefront, with the WHO Mental Health Action Plan of 2013-2020 giving clear outlines for how countries should approach the issues of informing the public and giving proper treatment to those in need. According to a recent study, approximately 18% of Swedish citizens are affected by some form of mental or substance use disorder, proving that this issue is in need of serious attention. Sweden agrees with the goals outlined in the previous action plan by the WHO, and would like to reiterate the importance of achieving these goals. These include reducing the negative societal stigma surrounding mental illnesses, which often deters citizens from reaching out for help when they need it, as well as the expansion of mental health care services to provide greater efficiency in both diagnosis and care for patients. In addition, Sweden hopes that member countries will recognize the inefficiency of separating mental health care services from more traditional services, which is a common practice worldwide. Sweden believes that community services, like those available in Sweden, can provide a quicker and more effective route to treatment for citizens. With these goals in mind, Sweden hopes to see a resolution which affirms the goals of the previous action plan, yet expands further. The WHO needs a worldwide campaign to provide information to the citizens of member countries about mental illness and the importance of treatment. This will help combat the negative stigma around mental illness, and encourage those affected to seek treatment. At the same time, the WHO must encourage member countries to expand mental health care services to provide greater availability of treatment, with an emphasis on community-based services and the implementation of mental health services in traditional medical locations.
