Resources for Mental Health Students, Professionals and Anyone Who Wants to Understand More
Resources CMHWB
Mental health knowledge should not be locked behind paywalls, professional gatekeeping or language that only specialists understand. This page exists to make the most useful tools, guidance and information accessible to anyone who needs them, regardless of their background or circumstances. We believe that everyone deserves access to clear, practical and compassionate mental health support without feeling overwhelmed or excluded.
We update this section regularly to ensure the information remains relevant, practical, and accessible for everyone. If you know of a valuable resource that belongs here, we encourage you to write to us and help expand this growing collection of support and knowledge.
Screening and Assessment Tools
These are not diagnostic instruments on their own, but they are useful starting points for understanding mental health presentations.
PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire
The most widely used screening tool for depression. A 9-item questionnaire that takes under three minutes to complete. Available in Urdu.
GAD-7 Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale
A 7-item tool for screening and measuring anxiety severity. Simple, validated, and widely used alongside the PHQ-9.
PCL-5 PTSD Checklist for DSM-5
A 20-item self-report measure of PTSD symptom severity. Particularly relevant in disaster-affected and conflict-exposed populations
SRQ-20 Self-Reporting Questionnaire
Developed by the WHO specifically for use in low and middle income country settings. Designed for non-specialist use in primary care and community contexts.
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
The gold standard tool for suicide risk assessment. A brief, structured interview available in multiple languages.
Open Access Reading
A reading section curated by Dr. Craig Katz from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the founder and director of Mount Sinai’s Program in Global Mental Health
Online Learning
Access trusted online courses from leading institutions focused on mental health and care.
Choose a program below to learn from experts and strengthen your knowledge.
Disaster Psychiatry: Readiness, Evaluation, and Treatment
A comprehensive guide to understanding mental health responses in times of crisis. This book equips professionals with practical tools for preparedness, assessment, and intervention in disaster situations.
Psychoanalysis and Disasters
An insightful exploration of how psychological trauma unfolds in disaster settings, highlighting the role of psychotherapy in healing individuals and communities across diverse cultural contexts.
Trauma and Recovery Certificate Programme — Harvard
Developed by Dr. Richard Mollica at Harvard. Designed for health professionals working with trauma-affected populations globally. Accessible online.
The Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) — WHO
Free training materials designed to help non-specialist health workers assess and manage mental health conditions in low-resource settings. Available in multiple languages. Directly relevant for community health workers and primary care physicians in Pakistan.
Psychological First Aid — WHO/UNHCR
Free e-learning course on delivering psychological first aid in humanitarian settings. Practical, evidence-based, and designed for non-specialists.
Introduction to Global Mental Health — Johns Hopkins via Coursera
John's community was struggling with stigma around mental health. After our outreach, the community saw a shift in attitudes and increased resource utilization.