mhGAP Intervention Guide
Mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders are highly prevalent, accounting for a large burden of disease and disability globally. There remains a wide gap between available health systems capacity and resources, what is urgently needed, and what is available to reduce the burden. Nearly 1 in 10 people have a mental health disorder, but only 1% of the global health workforce provides mental health care. MNS disorders interfere, in substantial ways, with the ability of children to learn and the ability of adults to function in families, at work, and in society at large.
Recognizing the imperative to provide services for people with MNS disorders and their carers, and to bridge the gap between available resources and the large need for these services, the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse launched the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) in 2008. The key objectives of mhGAP are to reinforce the commitment of governments, international organizations and other stakeholders to increase the allocation of financial and human resources for care of MNS disorders and to achieve much higher coverage with key interventions in lowand middle-income countries.
Five years after the initial launch of the guide, updates to the mhGAP guidelines based on emerging literature was performed and revised mhGAP guidelines were published in 2015. This is mhGAP-IG Version 2.0 which not only reflects these updates but also extensive feedback from the field to enhance the guide in its clarity and usability.
