Jordan is expanding access to mental health services through a new partnership involving the World Health Organization and the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
The three-year initiative aims to improve access to care for people living with mental, neurological and substance-use conditions. It forms part of WHO's Special Initiative for Mental Health and is intended to strengthen services beyond traditional specialist psychiatric settings.
In East Amman, the programme includes the establishment of counselling services in collaboration with the Friends of Cancer Patients Association. It will also support acute secondary mental health care for children and adults through at least one public hospital.
The initiative comes as Jordan's healthcare system faces complex demands linked to population growth, chronic disease and regional humanitarian pressures. The country hosts large refugee populations, increasing the need for accessible health and psychosocial support.
WHO has previously identified gaps in community-based mental health services in Jordan, including limited preventive interventions and barriers associated with stigma and mental-health literacy.
Integrating mental health into broader healthcare can help people receive support closer to where they live and reduce dependence on specialised institutions. It can also make it easier for healthcare workers to identify psychological problems alongside physical conditions.
The partnership is expected to continue through 2028. Its implementation will include documentation of service users' experiences, which may help identify barriers to treatment and areas where services can be improved.
The Jordanian programme illustrates a wider shift in mental healthcare towards community-based services, early intervention and integration with primary and general healthcare.