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WCCBT Government Collaboration & Policy Advocacy

The WCCBT is committed to partnering with governments across the world to make competently delivered, evidence-based CBT accessible, scalable, and sustainably reimbursed within national health systems.

Dr. Lata K. McGinn, President, World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (WCCBT), 2023

Introduction / Mission

Building Evidence-Based Systems for National Mental Health

The World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (WCCBT) collaborates with governments and policymakers across the world to make Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CBTs) accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Through policy advocacy, consultation, and implementation support, WCCBT helps countries integrate CBT into national healthcare frameworks, improving both population well-being and economic productivity. 

The UK Talking Therapies Program for Anxiety and Depression (formerly Improving Access to Psychological Therapies or IAPT) led by Dr. David M. Clark (University of Oxford) and Lord Richard Layard (London School of Economics) serves as a model for implementation across the world. It is grounded in a simple but revolutionary principle: that evidence-based therapy not only improves lives but also pays for itself by reducing disability, unemployment, and healthcare costs, and by building wealth for countries. Click here to learn more about the UK Talking Therapies Program.

Treating mental health problems is not just good for individuals, it’s good for the economy.

Dr. David M. Clark (NHS England, 2021)

Supporting Implementation: A Case Study

WCCBT’s role extends beyond advocacy — we actively help governments implement CBT-based services.

For example, during a roundtable held at the 10th WCCBT Congress in Seoul, WCCBT President Dr. Lata K. McGinn and Professor David M. Clark (University of Oxford) met with the Vice Mayor of Seoul, members of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and leaders from Korean psychology and CBT associations to discuss expanding access to evidence-based mental-health care.

Professor Clark presented the UK Talking Therapies Program as a global model of cost-effective psychological care, while Dr. McGinn emphasized CBT’s proven benefits for youth, its scalability, and the WCCBT’s commitment to collaborate with governments to develop sustainable mental-health systems.

The meeting—organized by Dr. Kee-Hong Choi (Korea University) and featuring presentations by Dr. Sooyeon (Aly) Suh (Sungshin Women’s University), Dr. Seung-Ah Lee (Seoul National University Hospital), and Dr. Kyong-Mee Chung (Yonsei University)—focused on addressing youth social withdrawal (hikikomori) through structured, CBT-based services, presented under the title “Psychological Service System Targeting Individuals with Extreme Social Withdrawal.”

Following the meeting, Seoul officials—guided by Professor Clark—consulted UK health economists to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a national psychological-service model. Their analysis led to the creation of the Seoul K-PSY Psychological Service System, which now funds CBT-based mental-health services, integrating prevention, access, and evidence-based care across 25 districts in Seoul, and serves as a model for potential national expansion. Click here for more details on the Seoul K-PSY Psychological Service System.

Advocating for Policy Change

WCCBT provides evidence-based consultation and formal policy advocacy to professionals and ministries of health around the world. Our letters, meetings, and strategic partnerships have supported adoption of CBT and its scope of practice as a cornerstone of modern mental healthcare.

Highlights:

  • South Korea: Letters to the Ministry of Health (2018–2021) enabling psychologists and trained CBT professionals to deliver care under Moon-care.
  • India: Letters to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (2022–2024) supported inclusion of CBT practitioners under the Allied and Healthcare Professionals Council, in partnership with IACBT and ACBTA.
  • Global Reach: Similar advocacy efforts have supported colleagues in Latin America, South Asia, and Africa.

Support for evidence-based psychological therapies such as CBT has demonstrated not only mental health benefits, but also significant economic returns.

Dr. Keith S. Dobson, Past-President, WCCBT 2020-2023.

Promoting Economic and Social Impact

For World CBT Day 2025, the WCCBT highlighted the UK’s Talking Therapies program, led by Dr. David Clark, as a global model of cost-effective care. The program’s outcomes show that improving access to CBT not only saves lives but also saves economies. WCCBT will continues to promote these lessons globally, and to support and highlight implementation in other countries such as Canada, Iceland, and South Korea.

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Partner With Us

WCCBT welcomes collaboration with governments, ministries of health, and professional associations around the world.

Our support includes advocacy and policy letters, training and competency frameworks aligned with the WCCBT Global Training Guidelines, and access to a global network of experts who can provide strategic consultation on CBT system design, workforce development, capacity building, and cost-effectiveness analysis to guide evidence-based implementation.

Contact: info@wccbt.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WCCBT