Mental Health Financing and Resource Mobilization Training Course

Course Introduction
The Mental Health Financing and Resource Mobilization Training Course is designed to strengthen the capacity of professionals to plan, mobilize, manage, and sustain financial resources for mental health systems and programs. The course responds to persistent underfunding of mental health despite rising needs and growing global policy commitments.
This training provides a comprehensive understanding of how mental health financing fits within broader health financing and development funding architectures. Participants will explore why mental health remains under-prioritized in budgets and how strategic financing can expand access, equity, and quality of services.
Participants will examine public, private, donor, and innovative financing mechanisms applicable to mental health across humanitarian, development, and national health system contexts. The course emphasizes aligning financing strategies with policy priorities, population needs, and measurable outcomes.
The course integrates practical tools for budget analysis, investment case development, and resource tracking to support evidence-based advocacy and decision-making. Learners will gain skills to translate mental health needs into compelling financing proposals for governments, donors, and partners.
Through applied exercises, case studies, and real-world examples, participants will build competencies in domestic resource mobilization, donor engagement, and sustainable financing design. Emerging issues such as results-based financing, blended finance, and ESG-linked funding are addressed throughout the training.
By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to strengthen mental health financing systems that are transparent, efficient, and impact-driven. The training empowers professionals to close funding gaps and ensure sustainable delivery of mental health services across diverse contexts.

Who Should Attend

• Health financing and planning officers
• Mental health program managers and coordinators
• Government officials in health and treasury departments
• NGO and CSO finance and program staff
• Donor agency and development partner staff
• Public health and health economics professionals
• Hospital and health system administrators
• Researchers and academics in health policy
• Humanitarian program and grants managers
• Advocacy and policy officers

Duration

10 days

Course Objectives

• Equip participants with comprehensive knowledge of mental health financing principles and how they apply within health systems and development contexts.
• Strengthen participant capacity to analyze mental health budgets, expenditure patterns, and financing gaps using evidence-based tools.
• Build skills to design sustainable financing strategies aligned with national mental health policies and plans.
• Enhance understanding of domestic resource mobilization approaches for scaling mental health services.
• Develop competencies in engaging donors and development partners for mental health funding.
• Improve participant ability to develop strong mental health investment cases and funding proposals.
• Strengthen capacity to integrate mental health into broader health financing and universal health coverage frameworks.
• Build skills in tracking, monitoring, and reporting mental health expenditures and financial performance.
• Enhance understanding of innovative and blended financing mechanisms for mental health.
• Prepare participants to align mental health financing with results-based and performance-driven funding models.
• Strengthen advocacy skills to influence budget prioritization for mental health.
• Empower participants to promote efficient, equitable, and accountable use of mental health resources.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Mental Health Financing

• Mental health funding gaps and global trends
• Economic burden of mental health conditions
• Rationale for investing in mental health
• Financing challenges and opportunities

Module 2: Health Financing Fundamentals

• Health financing functions and flows
• Revenue collection and pooling mechanisms
• Purchasing and provider payment models
• Equity and financial protection

Module 3: Mental Health Policy and Budgeting

• Linking policy, plans, and budgets
• Medium-term expenditure frameworks
• Program-based budgeting for mental health
• Budget advocacy strategies

Module 4: Public Sector Financing for Mental Health

• Government budget processes
• Decentralized financing mechanisms
• Fiscal space analysis
• Intergovernmental transfers

Module 5: Donor and Development Partner Financing

• Bilateral and multilateral funding sources
• Grant and loan financing modalities
• Donor alignment and harmonization
• Managing donor-funded programs

Module 6: Domestic Resource Mobilization

• Taxation and earmarked revenues
• Social health insurance mechanisms
• Community-based financing models
• Political economy considerations

Module 7: Private Sector and Philanthropic Funding

• Corporate social responsibility and ESG
• Foundations and philanthropic grants
• Public–private partnerships
• Risk sharing and accountability

Module 8: Innovative and Blended Financing

• Results-based and impact financing
• Social impact bonds and blended finance
• Leveraging digital finance tools
• Managing financial risks

Module 9: Costing and Investment Case Development

• Costing mental health interventions
• Economic evaluation and cost-effectiveness
• Developing mental health investment cases
• Communicating economic evidence

Module 10: Resource Allocation and Purchasing

• Strategic purchasing for mental health
• Provider payment mechanisms
• Incentivizing quality and integration
• Contracting and performance management

Module 11: Financial Management and Accountability

• Financial controls and compliance
• Expenditure tracking and audits
• Transparency and accountability systems
• Preventing inefficiencies and leakage

Module 12: Monitoring and Evaluation of Financing

• Mental health financing indicators
• Tracking financial performance
• Linking financing to outcomes
• Adaptive financial management

Module 13: Financing Mental Health in Humanitarian Settings

• Humanitarian funding mechanisms
• Emergency mental health financing
• Linking humanitarian and development funding
• Sustainability in protracted crises

Module 14: Financing Community and Primary Care Mental Health

• Community-based mental health financing
• Integration into primary healthcare budgets
• Decentralized service funding
• Equity-focused allocation strategies

Module 15: Emerging Global Trends and Challenges

• Mental health and climate financing
• Digital mental health investment trends
• Global policy and funding shifts
• Future financing challenges

Module 16: Developing Actionable Financing Strategies

• Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
• Developing financing roadmaps
• Risk management and sustainability
• Measuring impact and scale-up

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, airport transfers, Upskill gift package and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better