The 2024 recipient of the Country Leadership Award for Denmark is Marie Paldam Folker. 

For the past seven years, Marie has served as the Director of the Centre for Digital Psychiatry, where she has led the way in pioneering evidence-based digital mental health services. Under her leadership, the Centre has expanded its reach, providing critical support to an ever-growing number of individuals facing mental health challenges.

What truly distinguishes Marie is her commitment to collaboration. By involving service users, healthcare professionals, and various stakeholders, she has ensured that digital mental health services are not only effective but also equitable and sustainable. Her efforts have been instrumental in driving policy development and creating a robust framework for the broad adoption of digital mental health services across Denmark.

One of Marie’s standout achievements is the establishment of the Danish National Task Force for Digital Psychiatry, which she co-chairs. This task force, formed to enhance governance and coordination of digital mental health across regions, has become a cornerstone for policy and strategy development. It has strengthened regional mental health systems, fostered collaborations, and built leadership capacity.

Marie’s visionary leadership has brought about fundamental shifts in Denmark’s approach to mental health care. By addressing challenges such as increasing mental health prevalence, an aging population, and workforce issues, Marie has positioned Denmark to integrate digital advancements and create enduring patient pathways across public and private sectors. Among her many accomplishments are the launch of Mindhelper, Denmark’s most comprehensive youth mental health website, and the national rollout of Internetpsykiatrien, a digital therapy platform for depression and anxiety. She also created Mindapps.dk a national app assessment service that guides patients and clinicians in selecting safe and effective mental health apps.

Marie’s commitment and impact have truly set a new standard for digital mental health.

Congratulations Marie!