Workshops within the study “Cross-cultural approaches to adolescent mental health and help-seeking”
On October 22, 2025, four one-day workshops were launched at the offices of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI), located at the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital, as part of the qualitative study “Cross-cultural approaches to adolescent mental health and help-seeking: A multicenter qualitative study.”
The workshops brought together mental health and general health professionals, educators, adolescents, and policymakers in the field of child and adolescent mental health. Participants exchanged experiences and perspectives on needs, challenges, and opportunities for improving access to mental health services.
The study’s lead researcher in Greece is Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry at the University of Ioannina Medical School and member of CAMHI’s Scientific Coordination Committee, Konstantinos Kotsis, with the participation of CAMHI team members and researchers from Greece and the United States.
The study aims to explore how decisions regarding the mental health of children and adolescents are made, recognizing that such decisions involve—and are influenced by—various groups: adolescents, health professionals, educators, and policymakers. To achieve a comprehensive understanding, representatives from each of these groups were invited to actively participate in the research.
Acknowledging that perceptions and processes of care vary significantly from country to country, the study adopts a multicenter approach, involving four countries: Brazil, Greece, Mozambique, and South Africa.
Through this international collaboration, the research team seeks to provide data and recommendations for the development or reform of mental health services and policies, ensuring they effectively support children and adolescents worldwide. The ultimate goal is to guarantee that such services are culturally relevant, accessible, and practically implementable—contributing to the improvement of the global landscape of child and adolescent mental health care.
The study is conducted with the participation of researchers from the SNF Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, the Center for Global Mental Health Equity at George Washington University, the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI), and the University of Ioannina.
We would like to warmly thank the educators, health professionals, stakeholders, and adolescents who are participating in interviews and interactive workshops and generously sharing their perspectives!
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) is implemented by a nationwide network of public-sector mental health organizations and professionals, in partnership with the Child Mind Institute (New York), and is exclusively supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of the SNF Global Health Initiative (GHI).