中華心理衛生協會

World Federation for Mental Health and Mental Health Association in Taiwan
(WFMH & MHAT)

Chueh Chang ( President of MHAT, Board Member of WFMH)

    The Chinese Mental Health Association (CMHA) was founded in 1955 and joined the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) as an organizational member. Acknowledging the emerging political conditions at that time between China and Taiwan, CMHA changed its name to the Mental Health Association in Taiwan (MHAT) during the WFMH annual conference at Oakland, New Zealand in 1989. Dr. Tsung Yi Lin, the President of CMHA, requested approval of the proposal from the Board of WFMH, thus asking for continued support from WFMH for the Association in Taiwan. There has been a long standing and close relationship between MHAT and WFMH, as evidenced by the following participation of individuals from Taiwan:

 

 

International Conferences
Over the years, there have been numerous collaborations between WFMH and MHAT including several International Conferences under the auspices of WFMH & MHAT.

Disaster and Mental Health
Because the severe earthquake in Taiwan in 1999, at the request of MHAT President, Chueh Chang, WFMH introduced the book of “Disaster Response and Recovery: Handbook for Mental Health Professionals, 1994” developed by the United.

 

States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Promotion and Prevention of Mental Health
MHAT hosted the WFMH Board of Directors in a visit to Taiwan NGOs in order to study best practices in mental health within countries. The outcome was the publication of “Mental Health Promotion: Case Studies from Countries.” A joint Publication of WFMH and WHO, 2004.

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, New York
WFMH facilitated its members from Taiwan to participate in the annual meetings of the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women as official observers as well participants in the parallel events of the UN Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) CSW Forum. Since 2001, Taiwan members have developed panels, presented workshops and attended meetings every year in March. Prof. Chueh Chang worked, along with all the participants, to bring information and action on gender equality from all over the world back to Taiwan. She and other women delegates work hard to advocate to the Taiwan government to take action on “Gender Mainstreaming,” as well as pushing for the ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2007 by President Chen. She advocated with women from other NGOs to pass the Act for CEDAW which is being implemented in Taiwan. Many thanks to the UN Main Representative of WFMH, Ms. Nancy E. Wallace. She not only contributed knowledge and skills about the United Nations but also shared strategies for awareness raising and advocacy with our delegates to CSW. Furthermore, she has been invited to Taiwan to lead different programs related to her expertise in such areas as disasters and trauma, women’s issues, social and sustainable development and mental health. In 2010 at the “Forum and Workshop on Mental Health in Trauma and Disaster” held in Taiwan, Ms. Wallace led a workshop focused on gender perspectives which provided an important perspective in disaster intervention. Over the years, MHAT, in collaboration with the government and other Taiwan NGOs, invited WFMH Board members or UN Representatives to participate in numerous conferences or workshops. The following are examples: