World Mental Health Day 2025

Every year on October 10th, we observe World Mental Health Day to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and advocate for mental health as a human right. Each year a different theme is assigned. For 2025, the theme is “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.”

Why this theme is important:

• Disasters, conflicts, health emergencies, or other large events naturally amplify stress, trauma, loss, uncertainty, and can severely impact mental health

• Vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly, persons with disabilities, and displaced communities, often bear the burden of mental distress and struggle with access to care

• Ensuring mental health services remain accessible even in catastrophes is not a luxury but rather an essential part of saving lives and fostering community relations

According to the World Mental Health Day organizers and the World Federation for Mental Health, approximately one-third of people affected by disasters may experience mental health consequences that are burdensome.  https://wmhdofficial.com/

As the CHAMP (Community Health and Mental Health Advocacy Program) Coordinator, I believe that access to mental health support is essential for all humans. Whether in the wake of a natural disaster, a pandemic, or other emergencies, people should not be burdened with access to mental health care or instability.

In honor of World Mental Health Day, we should reflect and observe why resources are vital to our overall well-being.

• Accessibility is not optional

  • Together we must push to reduce barriers, whether they are geographical, financial, cultural, logistical, or linguistical, to prevent individuals from receiving mental health care in a time of crisis. Accessibility means more than proximity to a clinic, it means creating systems that are flexible, inclusive, and prepared to respond to human needs.

• Emergency response and mental health

  • In disasters, mental health and psychosocial support services should be incorporated from the beginning, just as physical safety would. Providing mental health support can prevent long-term consequences. Healing begins not only with shelter and safety but also with empathy and understanding.

• Community resilience

  • Support is not just professional. Peer support, community networks, and grassroots organizations can help provide a sense of stability when overwhelmed. Simple acts such as checking in on a neighbor, sharing local resources, or listening without judgment, can make a meaningful difference. Building strong community ties today helps ensure we are ready to face tomorrow’s challenges together.

In our CHAMP program, we’re committed to being a bridge for our communities by connecting community members to appropriate mental health resources, even in difficult circumstances.

We believe that access, compassion, and community care are not luxuries, but lifelines. This World Mental Health Day, let’s continue to advocate for systems that make mental health support a priority.

For more information on World Mental Health Day, check out their website: https://wmhdofficial.com/

For more information on CHAMP, check out our websites: https://champny.org/about-champ/ and https://www.elderjusticeny.org/champ