Under the patronage of Minister of Health Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, the Assistant Deputy Minister for Therapeutic Services, Dr. Salem bin Alawi Baharoon, inaugurated the first scientific forum of the Alliance of Counseling and Mental Health Associations, organized by the National Center for Mental Health Promotion in cooperation with the Coordinating Committee of Counseling and Mental Health Associations, at King Salman Social Center in Riyadh.

The forum is held under the slogan "Psychological Well-being is a Shared Responsibility," with the participation of a select group of specialists, experts, and representatives from government entities and the non-profit sector, and spans two days.

The forum aims to enhance integration among entities concerned with mental health, support the efforts of specialized associations, exchange expertise and experiences, and showcase initiatives and practices that contribute to developing counseling and mental health services, in line with the health sector's targets and improving quality of life.

The forum includes several scientific and discussion sessions that address the reality of mental health in the Kingdom, the role of civil society institutions in promoting psychological well-being, along with reviewing successful national experiences in the field, and highlighting opportunities for integration between government entities and the non-profit sector to support counseling and mental health programs.

The forum also features an accompanying exhibition with participation from several government entities, the non-profit sector, and supporting organizations, to showcase their initiatives, programs, and services in the field of mental health, and enhance opportunities for cooperation and partnership among various relevant entities.

On the second day, a discussion session will be held with the participation of several national entities, most notably: the Health Endowment Fund, the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development, the National Center for Mental Health Promotion, the Specialized Council for Health Associations, and a number of specialized associations, to discuss governance, integration among associations, financial sustainability, and impact measurement.

The National Center for Mental Health Promotion emphasized that organizing the forum is an extension of its efforts to support national initiatives aimed at enhancing mental health, empowering the non-profit sector, and building effective partnerships among relevant entities, thereby contributing to raising the quality of services provided to beneficiaries and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.