Around the world, mental health needs are rising—but access to care remains out of reach for most. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 1 billion people live with a mental health condition, yet it’s estimated that more than 75% of those in low-income countries receive no treatment, in part due to significant shortages in trained mental health professionals.
We need to use every tool at our disposal to close that gap.
That’s why we’re proud to launch the new Mental Health and AI Field Guide—a resource to help innovators and service providers explore how artificial intelligence can support community-based mental health care, especially through task-sharing approaches.
Task-sharing—training lay health workers or community members to deliver care—is a proven, cost-effective model that extends services to more people. At Grand Challenges Canada, we’ve supported global mental health innovation since 2011, including early investments in task-sharing models that are now transforming care at scale.
That’s why we’ve been working with McKinsey Health Institute, Google, and other partners to develop the Mental Health and AI Field Guide. The guide offers real-world examples, video explainers, and tools to help organizations assess whether—and how—AI might help strengthen their programs. It explores how AI can be used to support training, supervision, and expand access to evidence-based care. It doesn’t promise one-size-fits-all answers. Instead, it offers inspiration, insights, and use cases that can spark responsible, thoughtful action.
Friendship Bench and StrongMinds, two long-standing GCC-supported innovators, have helped lead the way. Their work—and their willingness to share learnings—has helped shape this guide and continues to inspire creative, community-rooted approaches to meeting people’s mental health needs in diverse settings. We’re excited about AI not as a replacement, but as a resource—one that, when guided by ethics and equity, can help frontline workers do more and reach more people.
“We know the use of AI in mental health care is still emerging, and we’re approaching it with humility and curiosity. Our goal is to support organizations exploring ethical, practical ways to strengthen community-based mental health, especially where needs are greatest. This Field Guide is an important start, and we’ll keep learning and evolving alongside our partners.”
— Dr. Nicole Bardikoff, Associate Director, Global Mental Health, Grand Challenges Canada
We’re not alone in this effort. Others, like the Wellcome Trust, are asking important questions about how AI can responsibly support mental health care, from personalizing treatment to improving access in low-resource settings. As this field evolves, we believe shared learning will be essential.
Grand Challenges Canada is proud to be one of Prospira Global’s top 10 mental health funders in 2024, and we’re continuing to evolve our approach as the field grows. This Field Guide is one more way we’re working to help innovations reach those who need them most.
Explore the Mental Health and AI Field Guide: https://www.tasksharing.ai/
