# Empowering a New Generation of Care: Strengthening Youth Mental Health in Mozambique
Mozambique now has a new cohort of trained mental health professionals focused on child and adolescent care. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute and the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions announced the third group of Clinical Fellows working in the country.
This fellowship program trains local clinicians to deliver evidence-based mental health services to young people in Mozambique. The partnership between the Child Mind Institute and IACAPAP creates a sustainable model for expanding mental health capacity in regions where child psychiatrists and trained therapists remain scarce.
The clinical fellowship approach trains doctors and mental health professionals already working in Mozambique rather than importing outside expertise. Fellows learn assessment, diagnosis, and treatment methods for conditions including depression, anxiety, trauma, and developmental disorders. By investing in local talent, the program builds lasting infrastructure that persists after external funding ends.
Mental health challenges in youth populations affect school performance, family relationships, and long-term wellbeing. Mozambique faces particular gaps in mental health services, with limited access to trained professionals in both urban and rural areas. Young people often experience trauma from community violence, poverty-related stress, and limited access to quality healthcare. The fellowship addresses this directly by expanding the number of qualified clinicians.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation funds this initiative as part of its broader commitment to strengthening mental health systems globally. The foundation supports programs that create measurable improvements in access to care, particularly in lower and middle-income countries where resources remain limited.
These Clinical Fellows join previous cohorts, expanding the network of trained professionals across Mozambique. Their work touches schools, community health centers, and hospitals where young people seek care. As fellows complete their training and