A Sociedade Brasileira de Psicologia (SBP) convida seus associados a participarem da PsychSolutions Competition.

A American Psychological Association (APA) está realizando a competição PsychSolutions para unir associações psicológicas nacionais e seus membros em todo o mundo em um esforço para elevar o campo da psicologia e seu papel crítico na melhoria dos resultados de saúde mental em todo o mundo.

A competição PsychSolutions destaca iniciativas inovadoras de base científica que visam abordar a carga de sofrimento causada por desafios de saúde mental em todo o mundo. Por exemplo, as submissões podem destacar intervenções para diminuir o estigma da saúde mental ou avaliar ou ampliar uma nova abordagem para a prestação de serviços de saúde mental.

O vencedor selecionado receberá uma bolsa de US $ 10.000 e a oportunidade de trabalhar com a APA para criar um vídeo promocional destacando sua iniciativa global de saúde.

 

Do you have an innovative solution to a global mental health challenge? We want to support you!

The PsychSolutions Competition highlights innovative, science-based initiatives aimed at addressing the burden of suffering caused by mental health challenges around the world. For example, submissions could highlight interventions to decrease mental health stigma or evaluate or scale up a novel approach to mental health service delivery.

The selected winner is to be awarded a grant of $10,000 USD and the opportunity to work with APA to create a promotional video highlighting their global health initiative.

APA’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) invites you to submit a project proposal of your initiative with emphasis on impact and innovation. Current members and affiliates of APA and national psychological associations with which APA has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be eligible to participate in this competition as individuals or in small groups. For more details, please review the submission requirements and eligibility information below.

Why Global Mental Health?

Mental health remains neglected around the world despite its clear importance to global health, economies, and human rights. About 80% of people with severe mental disorders receive no treatment for their disorder in low-income and middle-income countries; 25-50% receive no treatment in high-income countries. Globally, annual spending on mental health is less than $2 per person and less than 25 cents per person in low-income countries (World Health Organization, 2013).

It is clear that we need to implement innovative solutions to improve global mental health and reduce the suffering and economic harm associated with mental illness. Addressing this global burden is not just a moral imperative; investing in global mental health initiatives can produce significant positive economic outcomes, with benefit to cost ratios of approximately 2.3-3 to 1 across countries. This benefit to cost ratio increases to 3.3-5.7 to 1 when the value of health returns (i.e., the economic value of healthy life-years) is included (Chisholm et al., 2016).

The PsychSolutions Competition provides an exciting opportunity to elevate the field of psychology and its critical role in improving mental health outcomes across the globe. In line with APA’s strategic goals of utilizing psychology to make a positive impact on critical societal issues, elevating the public’s understanding of the field, and preparing the discipline for the future, this innovative competition enhances the partnerships between APA and national psychological associations around the world with which APA has signed a formal MOU.

Submission Requirements:

1.      Written proposal with emphasis on impact

 

Proposals must clearly indicate the impact or potential impact of the initiative on: 1) mental health promotion; 2) the prevention of mental health challenges; and/or 3) the burden of suffering caused by mental health challenges. The proposed initiative can focus on participants’ own communities or a larger national or international scale, as long as the anticipated impact is science-based and clearly articulated and measurable. Proposals must include an executive summary and be submitted using the template provided.

 

2.      Budget overview

 

Budgets must specify how the award funding will be used to move the initiative forward. The funding could be used, for example, to get a new project off the ground, update the technology for an existing intervention, evaluate a promising intervention, or publicize an ongoing, provenly effective initiative. Budgets must be submitted using the template provided.

 

3.      Project timeline

 

All proposals must include the anticipated timeline of project milestones, with focus on accomplishments within the first 12 months of receiving the PsychSolutions grant. Timelines must be submitted using the template provided.

 

Eligibility:

1.      All participants must be current APA members/affiliates or members of their national psychological association with whom APA has signed an MOU. Student affiliates are strongly encouraged to apply.

2.      Proposals may be submitted by an individual or by a small team of up to 3 people.

3.      All participants must be at least 18 years of age.

4.      All submissions must be complete. Incomplete proposals will not be reviewed. Please use the checklist provided to ensure your proposal is complete before submitting.

5.      All submissions must be received by the deadline. APA will not grant extensions for any reason.

Process:

1.      Proposals will be submitted to APA using the online submission portal for initial review.

2.      A review panel will select three entrants as finalists based on innovation, scientific foundation, and potential impact on mental health with potential global reach. The review panel will be comprised of leaders in psychology, global health and entrepreneurs with broad geographical representation and experience.

3.      The three finalists will present to a panel of judges comprised of leaders in psychology, global health and entrepreneurs in a live Zoom meeting.

4.      The winning researcher(s) will be awarded a grant of $10,000 USD, a one-year APA membership and a plaque commemorating their achievement. If the winner is a member of an APA MOU partner association, that association will also receive a plaque commemorating their member’s achievement.

5.      The two runners-up will receive a plaque commemorating their achievement and the opportunity to highlight their work in APA outlets.

6.      The award winner(s) will collaborate with the APA Communications Office to create a video showing what they accomplished with their prize money within 12 months of their receipt of the award. This video will be owned by APA and hosted on APA’s website. Please review the terms and conditions for more information. 

Key Dates and Deadlines:

1.      Call for submissions: Sept 1 – October 23, 2020

2.      Deadline to submit proposal: October 23, 2020

3.      Initial review and selection of finalists: November 16, 2020

4.      Final presentations and selection of winner via Zoom: December 13, 2020

Templates and Checklist:

1.      PsychSolutions Project Proposal [document with proposal, budget, timeline]

2.      Checklist [CVs of participants, complete proposals, member status, etc.]

References

Chisholm, D., Sweeny, K., Sheehan, P., Rasmussen, B., Smit, F., Cuijpers, P., & Saxena, S. (2016). Scaling-up treatment of depression and anxiety: A global return on investment analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(5), 415-424.

Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development.  (2018). The Lancet Commissions, 392(10157), 1553-1598.

Vigo, D., Thornicroft, G., & Atun, R. (2016). Estimating the true global burden of mental illness. The Lancet, Psychiatry, 3(2), 171-178.

World Health Organization. (2013). Mental Health Action Plan, 2013-20. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/publications/action_plan/en/.

 

 

The PsychSolutions Competition (“Competition”) call for submissions begins on Sept. 1, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time (ET) and ends October 23, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

All entries must be received by October 23, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Information on how to enter and the prize available form part of these official rules (“Official Rules”)

 

Read here: PsychSolutions Terms and Conditions

 

APA Office of International Affairs (OIA): https://www.apa.org/international/about