There is an urgent global need for accessible and cost-effective pro-mental health infrastructure. Public green spaces were officially designated in the 19th century, informed by a belief that they might provide health benefits. We outline modern research evidence that greenspace can play a pivotal role in population-level mental health.

Nature-based interventions for mental health are beginning to become more common in the UK. The evidence for their usefulness is building. Taking the ‘A Dose of Nature’ project in the south-west as an example, factors for making such interventions a success are described.

The design of hospital environments with an increased focus on incorporating nature and natural features has been reported to have multiple health and well-being benefits. This paper reports on three Australian case studies that each investigated the relationship between green spaces and people's mental health. The results suggest that gardens or other green spaces should be included within plans for future healthcare design. While we acknowledge that there are a range of considerations in the allocation of healthcare resources and programmes for maximum benefit, we believe that those programmes which highlight the beneficial outcomes for people with mental illness of ‘feeling blue and touching green’ are worth implementing.

In-patient mental health services have a duty to constantly seek to improve patient experience and to assist in the development of new skills that can aid recovery. Horticultural therapy can be implemented in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable way to achieve those goals.

This report describes the Student Counselling Centre (SCC) at the University of Crete. The SCS was established in 2003. Its main areas of activity are individual and group psychological support, crisis intervention, research, prevention, volunteering and awareness. Emphasis is also put on the support provided to students with special needs, which is now the second core service of the SCC.

In 2001 a directive was issued to establish the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) to deal with the growing problem of substance misuse in the United Arab Emirates. The NRC has achieved many goals as a treatment and rehabilitation facility as well as a drug and alcohol demand reduction response centre. It is now working towards being an international centre of excellence.

Kenya's Mental Health Act 1989 is now outdated. It is a signatory to international rights conventions that provide for state protection of the rights of people with mental illness, their property and their treatment. There is, however, a glaring failure to implement the existing legal provisions. A new Mental Health Bill that aims to respond comprehensively to the challenges affecting mental health services in Kenya is awaiting enactment.

Recent reports have highlighted human rights concerns in Ugandan mental healthcare. This article describes the current situation in terms of healthcare funding and provision, concerns regarding legislation, and health inequalities. Possible reasons for the difficult situation are briefly discussed, including the economy, pervasive stigma and ongoing unrest in the region. We then describe some encouraging initiatives in Uganda that are empowering those with mental health problems to have a better quality of life and identify opportunities for change.

Approximately 20% of the adult Indian population are affected by a psychiatric disorder that requires intervention from a mental health professional (Math & Srinivasaraju, 2010). In spite of this, the provision of mental healthcare is poor. Therefore, to learn more, between July and August 2014 I undertook a 4-week elective at the Psychiatry Department of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The Psychiatry Department was founded in 1952. It has a total of 332 beds, with nearly 20 000 patients admitted per year and an attendance of nearly 100 000 annually at the out-patient department.