The 2025 recipient of the Global Impact Award is Dr Ken Carswell.

Dr Ken Carswell exemplifies global leadership that turns simple, scalable tools into real-world mental health care. Guided by evidence and equity, his work has brought digital self-help and remote delivery to people who would otherwise have limited access, safely, affordably, and at scale.

His initiatives began with Step-by-Step, an engaging guided self-help program for depression built around storylines and brief helper calls. This program has been proven effective in large trials and is now scaled by national health systems. He also developed Doing What Matters, a self-help app within stepped care validated in European Commission-funded trials during COVID-19, and STARS, a human-centred, non-AI chatbot for adolescents, effective in Jordan and now undergoing a second trial. Additionally, an app version of the mhGAP Intervention Guide supports frontline clinicians, with trials conducted in Nigeria and Nepal.

Today, Dr Carswell leads WHO’s work on digital environments, including social media and AI, and continues to advance adult interventions such as Self-Help Plus, including in Ukraine.

For his vision, evidence-driven approach, and commitment to expanding mental health care globally, Dr Ken Carswell is a deserving recipient of this award.

Congratulations to Dr Ken Carswell.