Recommendations to Donors:

1.                    Consider that the resources given for mental health services, rather than taking away from the process of development, may enhance it by increasing people’s ability to make use of other development initiatives.

Mental health services are not mentioned in the text, although the Action Plan matrix includes mention of mental health in community-based health care education.

2.                    Encourage the Ministry of Health to pay more attention to the impact of mental health on general health, and to provide sufficient and appropriate human resources to develop and manage the program.

Not included.

3.                    Consider integrating mental health components in other development or assistance programs, such as community development, human rights, HIV/AIDS programs, disability/land mine programs, education programs, and others.

Not included.

4.                    When supporting mental health programs, remember that mental health is mainly not a medical issue, but affects all parts of a person’s life, and therefore requires human resources in addition to medical personnel, such as social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, community workers, and others.

Not included.

5.                    Become familiar with the literature on the mental health impact of armed conflict and genocide on a population.

Not included.