Join the University of Washington’s EarthLab, the UW Environment and Well-Being Lab, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre on Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity (WISE) in a half-day public symposium on the intersection of climate change and mental health.

Climate & Mental Health Nexus: How a well-being approach can provide lessons for win-win policies

September 19, 8:45 AM-12:45 PM

Intellectual House, University of Washington

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The event will uncover the complex pathways linking climate change to worsening mental health outcomes, including new forms of distress. It will also showcase the restorative and protective aspects of nature, and the ways in which climate action can be leveraged to promote positive mental health outcomes. Throughout, voices from community organizations working at the forefront of climate change mitigation efforts will be showcased. The event concludes with a policy discussion to consider the ways in which government at all levels – local, state and national – can identify success factors to promote the design and implementation of cross-sectoral policies.

Doors will open at 8:45 AM for registration. A light breakfast will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.

RSVP Here

Session 1: The interlinkages between mental health, nature and our changing climate

This panel session will describe the ways in which mental health and the natural world are related. It begins with brief framing remarks from the moderator, noting how time spent in nature is a protective factor for mental health, before segueing into two sets of panel discussions that touch on how climate change is affecting our mental health. Specific phenomena that are particularly relevant to the local area are highlighted, to provide concrete examples of how mental health is being hurt by these environmental changes.

• Jamie Donatuto, Community Environmental Health Analyst, Swinomish Indian Tribe
• Nicole Errett, Co-lead, Public Health Extreme Event Research Network
• Olivia Hill, PhD Candidate, Environment & Well-Being Lab
• Gregory Bratman, Director, UW Environment & Well-Being Lab

Session 2: Climate hope: Taking action

This panel session will focus on the co-benefits of nature-based solutions for our physical and mental health. Hope founded on pathways, data and direction: what are those pathways, backed by evidence? Knowing the many risks and costs of climate change to our well-being, how can we move beyond hopelessness and paralysis to spur policy action? What does the evidence base tell us about pathways to hope – how to identify them, and encourage action.

• Terrell Engmann, Co-Director, Basilia Bio
• Howie Frumkin, Senior Vice President and Director, Land and People Lab, Trust for Public Land
• Auora Martin, Co-executive Director, Front and Centered
• Alana Quintasket, Vice Chair, Swinomish Indian Tribe

Session 3: Policy solutions for healthy people & planet

The event will end with a roundtable discussion specifically focusing on the role of local, state and national policy makers in building mental resilience and community preparedness to threats brought about by climate change. The discussion should be process focused: what are the barriers to multi-sectoral action on climate change and mental health? What are success factors, and how can they be implemented? Rather than a recap of existing programs, a reflection on why those programs worked, how they were funded, and the extent to which they are self-sustaining. Ideally the discussion will end with key take-aways and lessons learned.

• Renee Bouvion, Region 10  Regional Health Administrator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Jamie Judkins, Project co-lead, Upland Expansion, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
• Colin Maloney, Community Health Strategies for Homelessness, Washington State Department of Health
• Elise Rasmussen, Climate and Environmental Justice Associate, City of Seattle