Innovations in mental health services

Guest Editors:

Rachelle Ashcroft, Associate Professor, University of Toronto, Canada
Rahul Shidhaye, Associate Professor, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, India

BMC Health Services Research is pleased to announce a new Collection titled Innovations in mental health services. It is reported that one in five people in the US suffer from mental health problems every year. Unfortunately, globally, most people experiencing anxiety, mood, and substance disorders don't seek mental health services or receive treatment. To tackle these challenges and meet the growing demand for mental health services, we need to transform mental health services via new, cost-effective approaches. Innovation is key to delivering better mental healthcare in any part of the world and to all age groups, especially during periods of local and global crises. Therefore, we invited contributions aimed at exploring significative advancements and transformative practices in the field of mental health services.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Rachelle Ashcroft: University of Toronto, Canada

Dr Ashcroft joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in 2016 as an Assistant Professor from the School of Social Work at Renison University College, University of Waterloo. She completed the Social Aetiology of Mental Illness (SAMI) post-doctoral training program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Dr Ashcroft has >14 years of medical social work practice in various health care environments. As a health system researcher, Dr Ashcroft has particular interest in nurturing organizational and policy-contexts that support the delivery of team-based primary mental health care.

Rahul Shidhaye: Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, India

Dr Shidhaye is trained as a clinical psychiatrist and epidemiologist and has worked in the field of global mental health for last 18 years in India and other low-and-middle income countries with a specific focus on reducing treatment gap for mental disorders by translating evidence-based treatments in ‘real-world’ settings. Currently he is associate professor of Psychiatry and senior research scientist at the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences. Dr Shidhaye is recipient of India Alliance (DBT-Wellcome Trust) intermediate fellowship in clinical and public health research and his work involves design and evaluation of yoga-based interventions for mental disorders. His work covers several major areas such as epidemiology of mental disorders with focus on social determinants, generating evidence on translating knowledge into practice, mental health systems strengthening in low- and middle-income countries and building capacity in the field of implementation science, synthesizing knowledge to facilitate policy uptake, and effect of yoga-based interventions on mental health of women and elderly.

About the Collection

BMC Health Services Research is pleased to announce a new Collection titled Innovations in mental health services.

It is reported that one in five people in the US suffer from mental health problems every year. Unfortunately, globally, most people experiencing anxiety, mood, and substance disorders don't seek mental health services or receive treatment.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these issues, highlighting the urgent need for research that enhances mental healthcare for all patients and service users and addresses gaps and inequalities within mental healthcare.

To tackle these challenges and meet the growing demand for mental health services, we need to transform mental health services via new, cost-effective approaches. Innovation is key to delivering better mental healthcare in any part of the world and to all age groups, especially during periods of local and global crises. Therefore, we are inviting contributions aimed at exploring significant advancements and transformative practices in the field of mental health services.

Mental health services encompass a broad spectrum of health services and healthcare interventions, from prevention to treatment and follow-up. This Collection targets innovative research and practical applications across but not limited to the following key areas:

Access to mental health services: Innovative initiatives to enhance access to mental health services especially for children and youth, marginalized and vulnerable groups, persons living in rural/isolated areas, older adults. This includes digital interventions, such as telemental health, mobile applications, and online therapy for all age groups
Patient-centered care: Patient-centered approaches that empower individuals in their mental health journey, emphasizing shared decision-making and personalized care plans
Integrated care models: Integrated healthcare systems that combine physical and mental health services to provide comprehensive and holistic care to patients
Cultural competence and diversity: Strategies and practices that address the unique needs of diverse populations, including cultural competence, equity, and inclusivity in mental health service delivery
Workforce development and training: Training programs, team and management initiatives aimed at building a skilled, compassionate, and diverse mental health workforce
Mental health services implementation: Implementation of innovative approaches within health services to provide better mental health care and analysis of their cost-effectiveness
Community-based approaches at the health system level: Community-driven initiatives, mental health and crisis centers, as well as peer support programs integrated within healthcare settings. These include collaborative mental health care models that foster person-centeredness, tailored and rights-based approaches, recovery, and inclusion within local communities
Mental Health Policy and Advocacy: Research on policies, legislation, and advocacy efforts that promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and enhance access to services

While there have been advancements in health and overall well-being, inequalities and difficulties persist on a global scale. This collection aligns with and promotes research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being, addressing global challenges in this context.

Image credit: Angelov / stock.adobe.com

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Innovations in mental health services" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.