The complimentary philanthropy approach to mental health in local communities
Tamara Vukicevic
Mental health and its challenges
Mental health, now more than ever, is an ongoing topic which challenges not only healthcare systems, but also local communities. We can not dismiss the continuous impact of recent global events such as the COVID-19 lock-downs and violent, socioeconomic insecurity. Consequences of this instability has had profound impact on mental health and particularly on a generation of young people who experienced isolation, disruption and uncertainty in a formative time in their lives.
While awareness of mental health has increased, the ability of existing systems to provide for the growing need for care has not been equally expanded. Many healthcare systems are overwhelmed and lacking resources, which are already stretched thin between curative treatments, symptom management and acute interventions. This leaves considerably less capacity for conducting preventative methods and for addressing the complex social and community factors that influence mental health.
The possible roles of the complementary philanthropic approach
Philanthropic organizations, as a building block of local sustainable system for mental health support, can have a significant and long lasting impact in a community. An approach like this goes beyond temporary financial support in times of acute crisis but rather gets involved in supporting already existing and established community systems or otherwise helps establish new systems where there they are lacking. However, and important note is that it does not replace or compete with an established health care system but rather looks for ways to improve and support it.
Local and informal
Support can look different based on the needs of a community and informal local infrastructure can look like: NGOs, youth groups, sports and social clubs, volunteer organizations, activist groups, religious and secular organizations and many others who previously have worked with mental health issues. All of these examples and many others are usually (or should be) ingrained into the life and context of the community they are serving. Through local organizations, voices of the community and their needs can be heard which is especially important in the discussion about mental health where stigma of speaking out or even admitting that there is a mental health issue it is still a reality for a lot of people. Participation of individuals with the lived experience as advisors, instigators, policy makers, etc.. makes a great difference in how mental health problems are described and understood and it also effects how providing help can be tailored to specific needs. The philanthropic approach has an edge in this context since it can advocate for patient participation as a necessity for funding or inclusion of local experts on mental health in the leadership team of specific projects.
Formal and adjacent to healthcare and academia
Another opportunity where the complementary philanthropic approach can finds its place is innovative research in the health and academic system. With the added difficulty of measuring treatment success rates in mental health, unlike other markers of physical health, innovative research can face a barrier in the system of underfunded institutions. It can be perceived as risky since it always has a chance to fail and not deliver on promised breakthroughs. Here philanthropic organizations have a unique ability to step in and fund innovation which would otherwise not be possible! This kind of contributions can be a worth while risk with potentially great benefits with out putting critical hospitals and research institutes at financial risk. These kind of investments in research facilities and offering grants to researchers working on new and ground breaking methods can be an incredible asset for the expansion of knowledge on mental health and even as a direct help to individuals and communities in clinics or even community establishments when it is applicable.
Where are to potential downsides and worries when discussing this approach?
It would not be fair if this point wasn’t also addressed with the same scrutiny. The potential over- reliance on philanthropic funding can be to the detriment of a local community since it may push it into a situation where mental health and overall well being is tied only to the “good of strangers” rather than self governance and self sustainability. When building up a system a phase like this can occur and sometimes over reliance is unavoidable, but for the sustainability goal to be reached the plan of an investment has to be for the long lasting benefit and change rather than just an outsiders “money pump” to fix issues which can reappear if the philanthropic help suddenly stops. The question is not how much money gets donated but what kind of change and betterment does it support.
Questions about where financial help will be allocated, which community will receive its benefits and under which influence also arise. State run support goes under scrutiny which philanthropic organizations don’t have to since they are private. This leaves the decision making on allocation of funds based on the wishes of the donors which come with potential issues such as favoritism of one community over another. The issue of external opinions on which kind of mental health help needs to be provided rather than the internal opinions of the community members can also be noted as a very real worry.
Continuously asking these questions, rising awareness about (un)known biases and having transparency is the only way forward where a common goal can be achieved with the most benefit and least about of harm.
After all, in the field of mental health, just like in health in general, the rule still stands – do no harm! (And try to do the best you can!)
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