Seth Kahan on Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges represent the wicked problems that society faces—complex, persistent, and difficult to solve due to incomplete, contradictory, and ever-changing demands. Yet, addressing them is essential for humanity and life on Earth to survive and thrive. My work is dedicated to confronting these monumental issues.
These challenges are too vast for any single mind to fully comprehend or solve. They are multi-dimensional, with deep systemic roots that are reflected in legislation, policies, social behavior, and even individual thoughts and mindsets. These factors limit our ability to effectively address them.
However, there are models and frameworks I’ve developed to help organizations and activists collaborate in making tangible progress. These stem from my experience at the World Bank, where I’ve witnessed both the successes and failures of multinational efforts, and from my work with Grand Challenges in sectors that include maternal health in Kenya, earth science, finance, nursing, and mental health.
Seth Kahan on Grand Challenges
Breaking the Stigma: How Stop Stigma Together is Leading a Grand Challenge in Mental Health
Welcome to the podcast on grand challenges. Today, I’m diving into Stop Stigma Together, an initiative I lead that aims to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders on a national scale. This effort was launched through the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, following a transformative $150 million gift from the Huntsman family to the University of Utah.
Stigma exists at three levels—structural, social, and individual—impacting policies, workplace environments, and personal attitudes. To tackle this, we collaborate with major organizations like Mental Health America, NAMI, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association, working across sectors such as media, criminal justice, education, and marginalized communities. Our approach includes advocacy, policy reform, and public awareness campaigns like Love Your Mind and Mental Health Care Works.
By bringing together experts, policymakers, and those with lived experience, Stop Stigma Together is building a movement to transform how Americans think about and address mental health. Visit StopStigmaTogether.org to learn more and join us in this grand challenge.
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