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World Mental Health Day (WMHD), observed each year on October 10th, aims to “promote the advancement of mental health awareness, prevention of mental disorders, advocacy, and best practice recovery focused interventions worldwide.” 

This year, World Mental Health Day focuses on the theme of "Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies," highlighting the urgent need to address the psychological well-being of individuals affected by crises. Humanitarian emergencies, whether due to natural disasters, conflict, or displacement, can have profound and lasting impacts on mental health.

Recognizing and prioritizing mental health in these contexts is essential for the recovery of individuals and for the resilience of communities. By integrating mental health support into humanitarian responses, we can foster healing and empower individuals to rebuild their lives.

At Stanford, our faculty are actively engaged in research and initiatives aimed at improving mental health outcomes around the world. On this World Mental Health Day, we are proud to highlight examples of their vital work and commitment to addressing the mental health needs of those in crisis.

Related Programs

listed alphabetically

  • CIRCLE
    CIRCLE is a research and action initiative devoted to the advancement of Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership, and Emotional well-being. Its focus is to address the mental health impacts of climate change in inclusive ways that support groups and communities, with a specialization in climate distress and the co-design and evaluation of interventions with impacted communities. 

  • Early Life Stress and Resilience Program
    This program focuses on understanding the critical role of prevention and early intervention in the lives of children who struggle with stress, anxiety, and trauma. In addition to participating in key community collaborations and providing crisis related resources, they have developed Cue-Centered Therapy - an evidence-based intervention for youth with chronic traumatic experiences.

  • Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health
    This program is committed to advancing and applying the scientific knowledge of the physical and psychiatric impact of trauma on survivors of human rights abuses to inform transitional justice and judicial processes. They focus on the science of the psychological changes and mental health pathology caused by trauma on individuals, their families, and their communities, over time and between generations. Their research is used to advocate for the survivors’ human rights and access to mental health in a range of settings.

  • Immigrant Child Health Program
    Newcomer immigrant children and families have incredible resilience but often experience traumatic stress in their originating country, during migration, and upon arrival. While integrating into U.S. communities, they often face numerous legal, educational, health, mental health, and social challenges. This program, supported by Stanford Impact Labs, seeks to develop, evaluate, and support programs that provide integrated, multidisciplinary, trauma-informed services for newcomer children and families. 

  • National Center for PTSD
    The Dissemination and Training Division of the National Center for PTSD in Palo Alto, CA, focuses on increasing use of evidence-based treatments and using digital technologies to expand access to care for PTSD. They research, develop, and train VA staff on the use of mobile mental health apps.

  • Pause a Moment
    PAM, short for Pause a Moment, is an educational platform that teaches skills designed to improve emotional well-being. PAM was developed in response to the increase in distress and mental health concerns among healthcare workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. PAM continues to offer opportunities to learn and practice tools aimed towards cultivating effective coping, self-care, and resilience-building strategies.

Related Publications

Co-Authored by Faculty in our Department

Related Books

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Additional Topics

Learn more about World Mental Health Day from the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Health Organization