Toolkit guide
Source
WHO
Topic
Mental healh
Tools & Frameworks
Database
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Action 3
Use it to…
assess system capacity, service coverage, workforce and financing gaps against international benchmarks.
Where to look in this resource
The “Governance of mental health systems”, “Mental health financing and workforce” and “Mental health services” sections (including service coverage) - plus your country profile on the website
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Mental Health Atlas 2024 (WHO 2025)
Age group
Setting
Year
2024
Area
1.1
Description

Compiles global data on mental health systems, including policies, services, workforce, and financing. It enables countries to track progress, identify gaps in care, and benchmark against international targets, supporting efforts to strengthen mental health systems and improve access to services. Country level data is presented in the country profiles available on the website.

Brief description
Global WHO database tracking countries’ mental health policies, services, workforce and financing.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
Mental Health Atlas, country profiles, workforce, financing, benchmarking
Resource Title
Mental Health Atlas 2024 (WHO 2025)
Source
WHO
Topic
monitoring adolescent health
Tools & Frameworks
Guidelines
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Actions 1 & 2
Use it to…
select indicators and strengthen monitoring and accountability over time.
Where to look in this resource
RELEVANT FOR ACTION 1
The “Subjective well-being” and “Health outcomes and conditions” indicators — for measuring and tracking mental health status
RELEVANT FOR ACTION 2
The “Social, cultural, economic, educational and environmental determinants” and “Health behaviours and risks” indicators.
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The adolescent health indicators recommended by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (WHO) -GAMA
Setting
Area
1.1
Description

An international initiative launched in 2018 to improve the consistency and quality of data on adolescent health and well-being worldwide, addressing longstanding gaps in how the needs of young people aged 10–19 are understood and monitored. Developed in collaboration with key UN partners, it establishes a standardized framework of indicators across multiple domains, including health outcomes, behaviours, and social determinants. Its relevance to child and adolescent mental health lies in its holistic approach, which embeds mental health within broader measures of well-being rather than treating it in isolation. By incorporating indicators related to emotional well-being, risk exposure, and environmental influences, GAMA enables more reliable tracking of mental health needs and highlights the complex factors shaping outcomes during adolescence—a critical developmental period when many mental health conditions first emerge. This integrated, data-driven approach supports more effective policy, prevention, and service planning, ultimately strengthening global efforts to promote mental health and well-being among children and adolescents

Brief description
WHO guidance presenting a recommended set of indicators for monitoring adolescent health.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
AMA, indicator framework, UN collaboration, well-being determinants, data standardisation
Resource Title
The adolescent health indicators recommended by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (WHO) -GAMA
Source
UNICEF
Topic
Evidence on mental health
Tools & Frameworks
Policy Brief
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Actions 1 & 2
Use it to…
give decision-makers a concise overview of the scale, drivers and consequences of the challenge.
Where to look in this resource
A short, focused brief — read it in full. It gives the scale, prevalence and who is affected (Action 1), and the major risk and protective factors and social, economic and environmental determinants (Action 2).
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Policy Brief. Child and Adolescent Mental Health: The State of Children in the European Union (UNICEF 2024)
Setting
Year
2024
Area
1.1
Description

Synthesises key data on the mental health of children and adolescents across the European Union, providing a clear overview of prevalence, trends, and major risk and protective factors. It brings together evidence on issues such as anxiety, depression, and the impacts of social, economic, and environmental determinants, helping to highlight the scale and nature of mental health challenges facing young people in the EU context.

Brief description
UNICEF policy brief summarising key evidence on child and adolescent mental health, risks and protective factors.
Country
EUROPE
Keywords
anxiety, depression, risk & protective factors, prevalence trends, EU
Resource Title
Policy Brief. Child and Adolescent Mental Health: The State of Children in the European Union (UNICEF 2024)
Source
WHO
Topic
child and youth mental health
Tools & Frameworks
Report
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Actions 1 & 3
Use it to…
situate national data in a regional context and identify gaps in governance, workforce, services and quality of care.
Where to look in this resource
RELEVANT FOR ACTION 1
The “Results” (population needs and trends — burden and status) and the “Summary”
RELEVANT FOR ACTION 3
The “Results” (workforce, services, governance and the treatment gap) and the “Proposed actions to improve the quality of CAYMH care”
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Child and youth mental health in the EURO region (WHO EURO 2025)
Setting
Year
2025
Area
1.1
Description

A comprehensive regional data synthesis, bringing together the latest available evidence on child and youth mental health (CAYMH) across the WHO European Region. It compiles and analyses data on population needs, emerging trends, and the current state of support systems, including governance, workforce capacity, service provision, and quality of care (QoC). By consolidating this information, the report both reinforces existing recommendations and identifies key gaps, proposing nine additional actions to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of care.

Brief description
Regional evidence review on child and youth mental health needs, systems, services and quality of care in Europe.
Country
EUROPE
Keywords
CAYMH, governance, workforce, quality of care, regional synthesis
Resource Title
Child and youth mental health in the EURO region (WHO EURO 2025)
Source
UNICEF
Topic
needs assessment
Tools & Frameworks
Guidelines
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Actions 2 & 3
Use it to…
structure a national analysis of needs, vulnerable groups, existing responses and priority actions.
Where to look in this resource
A short, practical guide — it takes you through a structured situational analysis via four sets of “Key questions” (programme implementation and service delivery; multisectoral collaboration; financing, policy and legislation; and stigma, social norms and attitudes) and a “Methodologies” section. Most of it speaks to Action 3 (services and systems), with the stigma and norms questions also informing Action 2.
Setting
Area
1.1
Description

A structured approach to assessing needs, services, and system capacity across sectors. It supports a comprehensive understanding of how determinants, service provision, and coordination mechanisms interact, enabling the identification of gaps and priority areas for action. While originally developed for diverse country contexts, the approach is adaptable to European settings and can strengthen evidence-informed policy development by supporting systematic analysis of child and adolescent mental health systems and their underlying drivers.

Brief description
Practical guidance for conducting a multisectoral situation analysis of mental health and psychosocial support needs.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
MHPSS, situational analysis, needs assessment, multisectoral coordination, vulnerable groups
Resource Title
Conducting a Multisectoral Situational Analysis for MHPSS: A practical guide for country-level assessments (UNICEF)
Source
ENOC
Topic
Impact Assessment Methodology
Tools & Frameworks
Framework
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Actions 1–5
Use it to…
apply a rights-based and equity lens when reviewing existing policies.
Where to look in this resource
The whole guide is relevant — the CRIA process (especially the "Assess Impact" and "Monitor and Review" stages) provides a structured way to monitor equity and rights-based impacts across different groups of children.
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Common Framework of Reference on Child Rights Impact Assessment: A Guide on How to carry out CRIA (ENOC 2020)
Setting
Year
2020
Area
2.1
Description

Practical guidance document designed to support governments and institutions in systematically assessing how proposed laws, policies, programmes, and services may affect the rights and well-being of children and young people. It outlines a structured, evidence-based process for analysing potential and actual impacts, grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and emphasises the importance of using both quantitative and qualitative data, including the views and experiences of children themselves

Brief description
Assessment tool for identifying how proposed laws, policies or programmes may affect children’s rights.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
child rights, impact assessment, UNCRC, evidence-based process, unintended harm
Resource Title
Common Framework of Reference on Child Rights Impact Assessment: A Guide on How to carry out CRIA (ENOC 2020)
Source
ENOC
Topic
Impact Assessment Methodology
Tools & Frameworks
Framework
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Action 4
Use it to…
ensure new laws, policies and programmes consider children's rights and avoid unintended harm.
Where to look in this resource
RELEVANT FOR ACTION 4
The CRIA process stages — especially “Screening” and “Assess Impact” — to test how a policy affects different groups of children
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Common Framework of Reference on Child Rights Impact Assessment: A Guide on How to carry out CRIA (ENOC 2020)
Setting
Year
2020
Area
1.1
Description

Practical guidance document designed to support governments and institutions in systematically assessing how proposed laws, policies, programmes, and services may affect the rights and well-being of children and young people. It outlines a structured, evidence-based process for analysing potential and actual impacts, grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and emphasises the importance of using both quantitative and qualitative data, including the views and experiences of children themselves

Brief description
Assessment tool for identifying how proposed laws, policies or programmes may affect children’s rights.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
child rights, impact assessment, UNCRC, evidence-based process, unintended harm
Resource Title
Common Framework of Reference on Child Rights Impact Assessment: A Guide on How to carry out CRIA (ENOC 2020)
Source
UNICEF
Topic
Overreaching strategies
Tools & Frameworks
Framework
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: Global
Use it to…
set out an evidence-informed, systems-level structure for child and adolescent mental health, with cross-sector coordination and monitoring.
Where to look in this resource
The framework is organised around four Outcomes — "Child and adolescent", "Caregivers", "Community" and "Systems" — together with the "Theoretical underpinnings" (the mental health continuum and multisectoral supports). The "Systems" outcome is the most directly relevant for aligning national systems.
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Global multisectoral operational framework for mental health and psychosocial support of children, adolescents and caregivers across settings (UNICEF 2022)
Setting
Year
2022
Area
1.2
Description

A comprehensive guidance document that supports countries in designing and implementing coordinated approaches to mental health for children, adolescents, and caregivers. It is grounded in a social ecological model and outlines a continuum of care spanning prevention, promotion, and treatment. The framework emphasises the need for collaboration across sectors—including health, education, child protection, and social welfare—and provides practical guidance on strengthening systems, services, and workforce capacity to deliver integrated MHPSS support.

Brief description
Framework for designing coordinated MHPSS programmes across sectors, settings and levels of intervention.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
social-ecological model, continuum of care, cross-sector collaboration, workforce capacity, coordinated programming
Resource Title
Global multisectoral operational framework for mental health and psychosocial support of children, adolescents and caregivers across settings (UNICEF 2022)
Source
WHO
Topic
Guaranteeing access to early intervention and mental health services and support
Tools & Frameworks
Guidelines
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: Global
Use it to…
identify interventions with a strong evidence base to prioritise for policy adoption and scale-up.
Where to look in this resource
The "Summary of recommendations" sets out the headline interventions to prioritise, and the "Evidence and recommendations" section gives the evidence behind each; the detailed evidence summaries are in the annexes.
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Guidelines on promotive and preventive mental health interventions for adolescents (WHO 2021)
Setting
Year
2021
Area
1.2
Description

Evidence-based recommendations on interventions that promote mental well-being and prevent mental health conditions among adolescents. Drawing on systematic reviews, the resource outlines effective approaches across settings—such as schools, families, and communities—supporting countries in implementing interventions that are both impactful and appropriate to adolescents’ developmental needs.

Brief description
WHO recommendations on evidence-based interventions to promote adolescent mental wellbeing and prevent mental health conditions.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
promotion, prevention, systematic review, scale-up, evidence-based interventions
Resource Title
Guidelines on promotive and preventive mental health interventions for adolescents (WHO 2021)
Source
WHO
Topic
mental health
Tools & Frameworks
Guidelines
Language
EN
Relevant actions
Scope: Global
Use it to…
translate evidence into a coherent national policy and strategic planning framework.
Where to look in this resource
This file is Module 1 of a five-module WHO series — it sets out the approach and rationale (new directions for reform, the human-rights framework, and the social and structural determinants of mental health). The practical reform areas and the step-by-step process for developing, implementing and evaluating a policy or action plan are in Modules 2 and 3 of the series.
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Guidance on mental health policy and strategic action plans (WHO 2025)
Age group
Setting
Year
2025
Area
1.2
Description

Thiis series of guidance documents supports countries in developing, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive mental health policies and strategic action plans. It provides a structured framework grounded in evidence and best practice, covering key components such as governance, service delivery, financing, and monitoring, to help strengthen national mental health systems.

Brief description
WHO guidance for developing, implementing and evaluating national mental health policies and strategic plans.
Country
INTERNATIONAL
Keywords
governance, service delivery, financing, monitoring, strategic action plan
Resource Title
Guidance on mental health policy and strategic action plans (WHO 2025)