# Empowering a New Generation of Care: Strengthening Youth Mental Health in Mozambique
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Child Mind Institute are training a third group of mental health professionals in Mozambique through a new clinical fellowship program. This partnership between SNF's Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) expands access to specialized care in a country where mental health services remain severely limited.
Mozambique faces a critical shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists and mental health specialists. The fellowship program addresses this gap by developing local expertise. Fellows receive training in evidence-based assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood mental health conditions. This approach builds sustainable capacity rather than relying on imported solutions.
The program's third cohort represents growing momentum in mental health workforce development. Each cohort strengthens the pipeline of trained clinicians who can serve youth across the country. Fellows gain skills in managing conditions like depression, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral disorders. They also learn to work within Mozambique's existing healthcare systems and cultural contexts.
This initiative matters for parents and communities because mental health conditions in children and adolescents often go undiagnosed and untreated in low-resource settings. Early intervention changes outcomes. When trained clinicians identify and treat mental health issues in youth, families benefit from better support and children access care that helps them develop properly.
The Child Mind Institute brings decades of expertise in child mental health research and practice. IACAPAP connects this work to a global network of child psychiatry professionals. Together, they ensure the training reflects both international standards and local needs.
Strengthening youth mental health infrastructure in Mozambique creates ripple effects. Trained fellows become mentors for other healthcare workers. They advocate for mental health policies. They help families