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Call for Case Studies: Mental Health Interventions in the Face of a Changing Climate December 10, 2024 The WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (ECEH) in Bonn, Germany is seeking examples of interventions to protect and promote mental health in the face of climate change in the WHO European Region. With this call, ECEH aims to map existing interventions related to different mental health outcomes (e.g., eco-anxiety, functional disorders), different manifestations of climate change (e.g., heat waves, loss of livelihood), undertaken at various levels (e.g., national, local), targeting different population groups (e.g., youth, frontline workers), and providing different levels of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)i (e.g., mental health care, awareness building, community strengthening). How will the collection of case studies be used? The mapping of case studies will help to document activities already underway in the WHO European Region, to identify current gaps, and to promote further action. This information will feed into a planned WHO policy brief on mental health and climate change. In addition, selected case studies may be featured as good practice examples on the WHO website, the European Climate and Health Observatory website, or during WHO led events. We will liaise with contributors of selected submissions to further elaborate on these interventions. What should a case study look like? We are looking for projects, programmes, partnerships, policies, and other initiatives which aim at protecting and promoting mental health in the face of climate change as the overall goal or partial goal of a wider intervention (see endnoteii for some examples). Case studies should fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for further analysis and possibly publication:  Geographic region and scale: Must be located in the WHO European Region, at any level (sub-regional, national, subnational, or local level).  Sector and organization: May come from any sector or organization (e.g., governmental/public organizations, non-governmental organizations, professional organizations, organizations representing patients, youth, and other civil society groups); they are NOT restricted to the health sector.  Objective: Must have a specific goal on climate change-related mental health outcomesiii in the planning and implementation phase.  Interventions: May include, but are not limited to, activities related to clinical support, community support, policy development, advocacy, communication, or awareness raising. How to submit a case study? You are invited to submit information through the following link: https://extranet.who.int/dataformv6/index.php/611299?lang=en It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the case study template, which mostly consists of multiple- choice questions covering the basic details of each intervention. You will be required to provide a project summary (mandatory, max. 5000 characters); additional information on specific text questions is optional. In the final step, you are asked to provide links to any reference documents (e.g., websites, publications) and can upload pictures, maps, or graphics (optional). The deadline for submissions of case study interventions is January 15, 2025. Only complete submissions can be considered for the mapping and case study selection. Any questions can be directed to [email protected]. Please be prepared for follow up emails to provide further information. 1|Page  Call for Case Studies: Mental Health Interventions in the Face of a Changing Climate Background to this call Climate change poses an increasing threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being due to acute hazards and slower-onset threats.iv, v Mental health conditions can range from emotional distress and eco-anxiety to post-traumatic stress disorder (Figure 1). Climate change also affects many of the social determinants that are already causing an increasing mental health burden globally; some groups are disproportionally affected due to their gender, age, or socio- economic situation (Figure 1). The mental health of young people and future generations is an issue of particular concern.vi The current knowledge about the links between climate change and mental health has been summarised by WHO in a policy brief.iv The brief also presents five approaches to advance work in this area, including the integration of MHPSS into climate change strategies, plans, and programs, and vice versa. Figure 1. Main interlinkages between climate change and mental health (WHO, 2022) iv 2|Page  Call for Case Studies: Mental Health Interventions in the Face of a Changing Climate i The composite term “mental health and psychosocial support” (MHPSS) is used to describe “any type of local or outside support that aims to protect or promote psychosocial well-being and/or prevent or treat mental health condition”. (IASC, 2007 quoted after: Handbook Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Coordination. Geneva: Inter- Agency Standing Committee; 2022 (https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/iasc-reference-group-mental-health- and-psychosocial-support-emergency-settings/iasc-handbook-mental-health-and-psychosocial-support-coordination; accessed 10 Dec 2024). ii Examples of interventions (non-exhaustive list): Mental health support provided to communities during and in the aftermath of a climate-change related emergency such as a flood events; Initiatives that activate social networks and strengthen community support, for example, to address eco-anxiety among youth; Projects that aim at increasing the awareness of populations (e.g., communities, first responders, healthcare workers) on the mental health impacts associated with climate change; Interventions and support to farmers whose livelihoods are affected by climate change (e.g., droughts); Mental health programs that provide support to people with underlying mental health conditions before and after climate-related events (e.g., special notification before a heat wave); Women’s Organizations addressing the intersection of climate change, mental health, and gender-based violence; National policies and programmes that integrate mental health and climate change considerations into emergency planning, social protection and other related programs. iii WHO defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (WHO, 2022)ii Conditions may include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychotic disorders, substance use, self-harm and suicide, pre-existing / co-morbid mental health conditions, psychological and emotional impacts such as eco-anxiety and distress from loss of home, place and community, cognitive, functional and behavioural impacts, such as impacts on everyday activities, pregnancy and childhood development, as well as mental health-related to physical health. iv Mental Health and Climate Change: Policy Brief. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240045125, accessed 10 Dec 2024) v Cissé G, McLeman R, Adams H, Aldunce P, Bowen K, Campbell-Lendrum D et al. Health, wellbeing and the changing structure of communities. In: Pörtner HO, Roberts DC, Tignor MMB, Poloczanska E, Mintenbeck K, Alegria A et al., editors. Climate change 2022: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2022:1041–170 (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/chapter/chapter-7/, accessed 10 Dec 2024). vi What happens when climate change and the mental-health crisis collide?. Nature. 2024;628(8007): 235. doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00993-x. 3|Page Saatja: EURO CEH <[email protected]> Saadetud: 11.12.2024 18:37 Adressaat: EURO CEH <[email protected]> Teema: Call for Case Studies on Mental Health and Climate Change by WHO EUROPE | ВОЗ ЕВРОПА – Запрос о психическом здоровье и изменении климата Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.For Russian version, please scroll down. Òåêñò ïèñüìà íà ðóññêîì ÿçûêå ïðèâîäèòñÿ íèæå To: Members of the European Environment and Health Task Force; Dear colleagues, The WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (ECEH) in Bonn, Germany is seeking examples of interventions to protect and promote mental health in the face of climate change in the WHO European Region. With this call, ECEH aims to map existing interventions related to different mental health outcomes (e.g., eco-anxiety, functional disorders), different manifestations of climate change (e.g., heat waves, loss of livelihood), undertaken at various levels (e.g., national, local), targeting different population groups (e.g., youth, frontline workers), and providing different levels of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) (e.g., mental health care, awareness building, community strengthening). The mapping of case studies will help to document activities already underway in the WHO European Region, to identify current gaps, and to promote further action. This information will feed into a planned WHO policy brief on mental health and climate change. In addition, selected case studies may be featured as good practice examples on the WHO website, the European Climate and Health Observatory website, or during WHO led events. We will liaise with contributors of selected submissions to further elaborate on these interventions. More information on the type of case studies in focus, the submission process, and background information to this call can be found in the PDF file (English and Russian) attached to this email. The deadline for submission is January 15, 2025. You are invited to submit information through the following links: English Version: Russian Version: Please distribute the call within your relevant networks and direct any questions to Cale Lawlor (). We thank you for your interest in this call. Your input is highly valued and will support the work on mental health and climate change in the WHO European Region. Kind regards, Nino Sharashidze On behalf of the EHP Secretariat *** Êîìó: ×ëåíàì Åâðîïåéñêîé öåëåâîé ãðóïïû ïî îêðóæàþùåé ñðåäå è çäîðîâüþ (ÖÃÎÑÇ) Óâàæàåìûå êîëëåãè, Åâðîïåéñêèé öåíòð ÂÎÇ ïî îêðóæàþùåé ñðåäå è îõðàíå çäîðîâüÿ (ÅÖÎÑÇ) â Áîííå (Ãåðìàíèÿ) èùåò ïðèìåðû ïðîâîäèìûõ â Åâðîïåéñêîì ðåãèîíå ÂÎÇ ìåðîïðèÿòèé ïî îõðàíå è óêðåïëåíèþ ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ â óñëîâèÿõ èçìåíåíèÿ êëèìàòà. ÅÖÎÑÇ äåëàåò ýòî îáúÿâëåíèå ñ öåëüþ ïðîâåñòè àíàëèç ìåðîïðèÿòèé, ñâÿçàííûõ ñ ðàçíûìè ðåçóëüòàòàìè â îòíîøåíèè ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ (ýêîëîãè÷åñêàÿ òðåâîãà, ôóíêöèîíàëüíûå ðàññòðîéñòâà) è ïîñëåäñòâèÿìè èçìåíåíèÿ êëèìàòà (ïåðèîäû àíîìàëüíî æàðêîé ïîãîäû, ïîòåðÿ ñðåäñòâ ê ñóùåñòâîâàíèþ), ïðîâîäèìûõ íà ðàçíûõ óðîâíÿõ (îáùåíàöèîíàëüíîì èëè ìåñòíîì) ñðåäè ðàçíûõ ãðóïï íàñåëåíèÿ (ìîëîäåæü, ðàáîòíèêè ïåðåäíåé ëèíèè) ñ öåëüþ ïðåäîñòàâëåíèÿ óñëóã ïî îõðàíå ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ è ïñèõîñîöèàëüíîé ïîääåðæêå (ÏÇÏÑÏ) ðàçíûõ óðîâíåé (îõðàíà ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ, ïîâûøåíèå èíôîðìèðîâàííîñòè, óêðåïëåíèå îáùèí). Àíàëèç ïðèìåðîâ èç ïðàêòèêè ïîìîæåò çàäîêóìåíòèðîâàòü óæå ïðîâîäèìûå ìåðîïðèÿòèÿ â Åâðîïåéñêîì ðåãèîíå ÂÎÇ äëÿ îïðåäåëåíèÿ ñóùåñòâóþùèõ ïðîáåëîâ â ýòîé îáëàñòè è ñîäåéñòâèÿ ïðèíÿòèþ ìåð â áóäóùåì. ÂÎÇ ïëàíèðóåò âûïóñòèòü àíàëèòè÷åñêóþ çàïèñêó íà òåìó ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ è èçìåíåíèÿ êëèìàòà, è ïîëó÷åííàÿ èíôîðìàöèÿ áóäåò èñïîëüçîâàíà äëÿ åå ïîäãîòîâêè. Êðîìå òîãî, èçáðàííûå ïðèìåðû èç ïðàêòèêè ìîãóò áûòü ïðåäñòàâëåíû íà âåá- ñàéòàõ ÂÎÇ è Åâðîïåéñêîé îáñåðâàòîðèè ïî êëèìàòó è çäîðîâüþ èëè âî âðåìÿ ïðîâîäèìûõ ÂÎÇ ìåðîïðèÿòèé. Ìû ñâÿæåìñÿ ñ àâòîðàìè îòîáðàííûõ ðàáîò, ÷òîáû ïîëó÷èòü áîëåå äîïîëíèòåëüíûå ñâåäåíèÿ îá ýòèõ ìåðîïðèÿòèÿõ. Áîëåå ïîäðîáíóþ èíôîðìàöèþ î òèïàõ ïðèìåðîâ èç ïðàêòèêè, ïðîöåäóðå ïîäà÷è çàÿâîê è ñïðàâî÷íîé èíôîðìàöèè ìîæíî íàéòè â ôàéëå â ôîðìàòå PDF (íà ðóññêîì è àíãëèéñêîì ÿçûêàõ), ïðèëàãàåìîì ê äàííîìó ïèñüìó. Êðàéíèé ñðîê ïîäà÷è ìàòåðèàëîâ - 15 ÿíâàðÿ 2025 ãîäà. Ìû ïðèãëàøàåì âàñ ïðåäîñòàâèòü èíôîðìàöèþ ïî ñëåäóþùèì àäðåñàì: Âåðñèÿ íà ðóññêîì ÿçûêå: Âåðñèÿ íà àíãëèéñêîì ÿçûêå: Ïîæàëóéñòà, ðàñïðîñòðàíèòå ýòî îáúÿâëåíèå ÷åðåç ñâîè ïðîôåññèîíàëüíûå ñåòè è íàïðàâëÿéòå ëþáûå âîïðîñû ã-íó Cale Lawlor (). Ìû áëàãîäàðèì âàñ çà îòêëèê íà ýòî ïðèãëàøåíèå è âûñîêî öåíèì âàø âêëàä â ïîääåðæêó ðàáîòû â îáëàñòè óêðåïëåíèÿ ïñèõè÷åñêîãî çäîðîâüÿ â óñëîâèÿõ èçìåíåíèÿ êëèìàòà â Åâðîïåéñêîì ðåãèîíå ÂÎÇ. Ñ óâàæåíèåì, Nino Sharashidze Îò èìåíè Ñåêðåòàðèàòà ÅÏÎÑÇ --- EHP Secretariat | Multisectoral Partnerships for Environment and Health (MPE)WHO Regional Office for Europe | European Centre for Environment and Health | Bonn, GermanyE-mail: | Web: