Working to ambitiously improve the field of global mental health at scale.
Our programs
Our programs help fellows identify and implement cost-effective interventions to improve wellbeing at scale.
Global Mental Health Fellowship
The fellowship explores emerging interventions and methodologies to delivering mental health interventions at scale. Fellows are encouraged to apply to our project incubator program to help ambitiously improve global mental health at scale! 80+ fellows have taken part so far.
Project Incubator
An 8-week project incubator for builders interested in launching initiatives in the global mental health and scope-sensitive well-being space. It's designed for people with early-stage ideas, research projects, or startup concepts.
All of our programs are facilitator-led and fully remote. We are proud to have fellows from all over the world!
Why mental health?
Here's the quick and basic case. Treatment gaps are massive, and most people with mental illness do not receive treatment.
of people with mental illness in low-income countries don't receive treatment, and 78% don't in high-income countries.
of the global burden of disease (measured in DALYs) comes from mental, neurological, and substance-use disorders.
of global healthcare spending went to mental healthcare in 2016.
Promising mental health interventions are cost-effective in both low- and high-income countries. The Happier Lives Institute finds that some are over 5x more effective than GiveDirectly's cash transfers. Many proven, evidence-based interventions already exist, but are bottlenecked by lack of prioritization, funding, and implementation.
Meet the team
Gina Hafez
Curriculum Designer, Facilitator
Gina Hafez is a licensed therapist working to close the global MH access gap, including investigating AI-empowered interventions.
Damin Curtis
Programs co-lead
Damin Curtis is an AI governance professional with experience running fellowships for advocates and researchers.
Mark Rootenberg
Curriculum Designer, Facilitator
Mark Rootenberg is a licensed therapist with experience in wellbeing research and advocating for improved global MH access.
Angie Hsu
Program Operations, Fellow Feedback Analyst
Angie Hsu is a research and operations specialist and a lead team member at Effective Mental Health.
Kelly Blewitt
Project Incubator co-lead
Kelly is the owner of Bloom Counseling and holds a Master's in Social Work.
Get involved
We would love to hear your input! If you have any insights, ideas or expertise to share, please reach out.
Join a fellowship
In our 10-minute application, you'll tell us about yourself and how the fellowship would help you improve your impact as it relates to GMH (e.g. your career direction).
Not currently accepting applicantsBuild a project
Have an early-stage idea, research project, or startup concept? Applications for the Project Incubator are opening soon! Participation is free of charge.
Learn more and applyFacilitate
Facilitators guide discussion and give thoughtful clarifications, practical feedback, and guidance based on their own experience. Submit a facilitator interest form!
Interest form