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    Mental health policy tracker: laws, reports and deadlines to 2026

    Mental health policy moved on several fronts in 2025-2026: the UN adopted its first declaration covering both noncommunicable diseases and mental health, Australia barred under-16s from major social media platforms, and Minnesota began requiring social media warning labels.[1][2][3] In October 2026 WHO released guidance on moving people out of long-stay psychiatric hospitals.[4]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated DevelopingMental health, Health and medicine, Tech policy, World affairs

    What we know

    • The UN political declaration targets 150 million more people with access to mental health care by 2030[9]
    • Australia's under-16 social media restriction has applied since 10 December 2025[2]
    • eSafety is investigating five platforms for potential noncompliance[14]
    • California, Minnesota and New York have passed social media warning-label laws[16]
    • The UK's Mental Health Act 2025 became law on 18 December 2025[20]
    • Median government spending on mental health is 2% of health budgets[7]

    What we don't know yet

    • How a court will rule on NetChoice's challenge to Minnesota's warning-label law
    • Whether Australia's plan to raise maximum fines becomes law, and what eSafety's investigations conclude
    • Whether other countries, including the UK, follow Australia with a minimum age for social media
    • When New York's warning-label law takes effect and how it will be enforced
    • Whether countries will report progress toward the UN's 2030 mental health access target
    Story status

    Story status

    State
    developing
    Started
    2023-05-02
    Timeline entries
    23
    Last entry

    Timeline data (JSON)

    This tracker follows mental health policy decisions, reports and court cases, newest first in the timeline above. It focuses on global health policy, youth and social media rules, and the regulation of wellness technology.[1][2][5] US crisis services are tracked separately in the 988 crisis care tracker, and access to treatment in the mental health care access tracker. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice.

    If you are struggling or thinking about suicide: in the US call or text 988 (988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline); in the UK and Ireland call Samaritans on 116 123; elsewhere find a helpline at findahelpline.com.

    Global commitments

    WHO’s September 2025 reports found more than 1 billion people living with mental health conditions and median government spending stuck at 2% of health budgets since 2017.[6][7] After a UN high-level meeting on 25 September 2025, the General Assembly adopted a political declaration in December 2025, the first to address noncommunicable diseases and mental health together.[8][1] It targets 150 million more people with access to mental health care by 2030 and recognises digital harms from social media and excessive screen time.[9][10]

    On 9 October 2026 WHO released a practical guide to deinstitutionalizing psychiatric hospitals, noting that only 9% of reporting countries had fully shifted to community-based care.[4][11] See World Mental Health Day 2026.

    Youth, social media and schools

    Australia’s law barring under-16s from holding accounts on major platforms has applied since 10 December 2025.[2] Platforms removed or restricted more than 4.7 million accounts within days, but an eSafety parent survey found about a third of children aged 8-15 still had accounts, and five platforms came under investigation in March 2026.[12][13][14] In June the government said it would strengthen the law.[15]

    In the US, warning labels are the main tool. California, Minnesota and New York have passed label laws; Minnesota’s took effect on 1 July 2026 and faces a NetChoice lawsuit, while a judge blocked Colorado’s law in November 2025.[16][3][17][18] Schools are also acting: UNESCO counted 79 education systems with smartphone bans by the end of 2024.[19] The evidence and arguments are weighed in youth mental health and social media.

    Law and regulation

    In the UK, the Mental Health Act 2025, which amends the Mental Health Act 1983, became law on 18 December 2025.[20] In the US, the FDA revised its general wellness guidance in January 2026, and in June 2026 closed a warning letter it had sent the wearable maker WHOOP over a blood pressure feature.[5][21] For US insurance coverage rules see mental-health-parity-law.

    Next dates to watch

    • 10 December 2026: first anniversary of Australia’s under-16 law.[2]
    • Pending: a ruling on NetChoice’s challenge to Minnesota’s label law.[17]
    • 2030: the UN declaration’s target year for 150 million more people with access to mental health care.[9]

    Timeline

    22 confirmed1 reported

    1. confirmed

      World Mental Health Day 2026[37][38]

    2. confirmed

      WHO releases deinstitutionalization guide[4][11]

    3. confirmed

      WHO updates mental disorder fact sheets with 2023 data[35][36]

      WHO now estimates 1.2 billion people were living with a mental disorder in 2023.

    4. reported

      Testers say platforms skipped age checks[34]

    5. confirmed

      Minnesota social media warning labels take effect[3][17]

      NetChoice's First Amendment challenge, filed in April, was pending.

    6. confirmed

      Australia says it will strengthen the under-16 law[15]

    7. confirmed

      FDA closes WHOOP warning letter[21]

    8. confirmed

      eSafety investigates five platforms[14][13]

      Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube were investigated for potential noncompliance.

    9. confirmed

      Australia reports 4.7 million under-16 accounts removed[12][33]

    10. confirmed

      New York becomes third state with a warning-label law[16]

    11. confirmed

      FDA revises its general wellness guidance[5]

    12. confirmed

      UK Mental Health Act 2025 becomes law[20]

    13. confirmed

      UN adopts political declaration on NCDs and mental health[1][9]

    14. confirmed

      Australia's under-16 social media restriction takes effect[2][31][32]

    15. confirmed

      Judge blocks Colorado's social media warning law[18]

    16. confirmed

      UN high-level meeting on NCDs and mental health[8][10]

    17. confirmed

      WHO publishes World mental health today and Mental Health Atlas 2024[6][7]

      WHO reported more than 1 billion people living with mental health conditions and flat spending since 2017.

    18. confirmed

      FDA warns WHOOP over its blood pressure feature[30]

    19. confirmed

      WHO Commission on Social Connection reports[28][29]

      It found 1 in 6 people affected by loneliness, linked to more than 871,000 deaths a year.

    20. confirmed

      Australia passes its social media minimum age law[27]

    21. confirmed

      Surgeon General calls for social media warning labels[26]

    22. confirmed

      US Surgeon General advisory on social media and youth mental health[24][25]

    23. confirmed

      US Surgeon General issues loneliness advisory[22][23]

      The advisory compared the mortality risk of social disconnection to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

    Questions readers ask

    What is the UN political declaration on mental health?

    Adopted in December 2025, it is the first UN political declaration to address noncommunicable diseases and mental health together, with a target of 150 million more people with access to mental health care by 2030.[1][9]

    When did Australia's under-16 social media ban start?

    On 10 December 2025. Covered platforms must not let under-16s create or keep accounts, and penalties fall on platforms rather than families.[2][32]

    Has the UK changed its Mental Health Act?

    Yes. The Mental Health Act 2025, which amends the Mental Health Act 1983, became law on 18 December 2025.[20]

    Are social media warning labels in force anywhere in the US?

    Minnesota's law took effect on 1 July 2026, though NetChoice is challenging it in court; California and New York have also passed label laws, and Colorado's was blocked by a judge in November 2025.[3][17][16][18]

    Sources

    · 38 claims from 21 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      WHO reported on 16 December 2025 that the UN General Assembly had adopted the political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health, the first such declaration to address both together. confirmedas of 2025-12-16

    2. [2]

      Since 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms in Australia must not let anyone under 16 create or keep an account, and parents cannot consent on a child's behalf. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      Minnesota's law requiring social media users to acknowledge a mental health warning each time they open covered platforms took effect on 1 July 2026. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    4. [4]

      On 9 October 2026, ahead of World Mental Health Day, WHO released a guide to help countries move from long-stay psychiatric hospital care to person-centred care in the community. confirmedas of 2026-10-09

    5. [5]

      In January 2026 the FDA issued a revised final guidance, "General Wellness - Policy for Low Risk Devices", which MedTech Dive reported loosened oversight of wellness features such as blood pressure estimates. confirmedas of 2026-06-24

    6. [6]

      In September 2025 WHO reported that more than 1 billion people were living with mental health conditions, in two reports, World mental health today and Mental Health Atlas 2024. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    7. [7]

      According to WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2024, median government spending on mental health is 2% of health budgets, unchanged since 2017, ranging from up to US$65 per person in high-income countries to US$0.04 in low-income countries. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    8. [8]

      The fourth UN General Assembly high-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being was held on 25 September 2025. confirmedas of 2025-12-16

    9. [9]

      The 2025 political declaration sets a 2030 target of 150 million more people with access to mental health care. confirmedas of 2025-12-16

    10. [10]

      WHO says the declaration recognises the evolving risk of digital harms from social media exposure, excessive screen time and harmful content. confirmedas of 2025-09-26

    11. [11]

      WHO's Mental Health Atlas found only 9% of reporting countries had fully shifted to community-based mental health care, 53% were at an early stage of reform, and 28% of psychiatric hospital admissions lasted longer than six months. confirmedas of 2026-10-09

    12. [12]

      Government data released in January 2026 showed more than 4.7 million accounts held by under-16s had been deactivated, removed or restricted within days of the ban starting. confirmedas of 2026-01-15

    13. [13]

      An eSafety survey of 898 parents in early 2026 found about a third of children aged 8-15 still had social media accounts, down from about half, and that around 6 to 7 in 10 who had Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok accounts before the ban still had them. confirmedas of 2026-03-31

    14. [14]

      In March 2026 Australia's eSafety Commissioner opened investigations into Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube for potential noncompliance with the under-16 law. confirmedas of 2026-03-31

    15. [15]

      In June 2026 the Australian government said it would strengthen the under-16 law as a priority; Reuters reported it said it was doubling the maximum fine. confirmedas of 2026-07-07

    16. [16]

      By January 2026 California, Minnesota and New York had passed laws requiring mental health warning labels on social media platforms. confirmedas of 2026-01-08

    17. [17]

      NetChoice sued Minnesota in April 2026 to challenge the warning-label requirement on First Amendment grounds; as of 1 July 2026 a judge had not ruled. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    18. [18]

      On 6 November 2025 a federal judge in Colorado temporarily blocked that state's social media warning law for minors in a lawsuit brought by the tech trade group NetChoice. confirmedas of 2026-01-08

    19. [19]

      UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report counted 79 education systems, about 40%, with laws or policies banning smartphones in school by the end of 2024, up from 60 at the end of 2023. confirmedas of 2025-01-24

    20. [20]

      The UK's Mental Health Act 2025, which amends the Mental Health Act 1983, became law on 18 December 2025. confirmedas of 2025-12-18

    21. [21]

      In June 2026 the FDA closed the WHOOP warning letter after the company changed the feature, saying it did not intend to enforce device requirements on the modified version. confirmedas of 2026-06-24

    22. [22]

      In May 2023 the US Surgeon General's advisory "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation" said a lack of social connection raises the risk of premature death to a level comparable with smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. confirmedas of 2023-05-02

    23. [23]

      The 2023 advisory reported that about half of US adults had experienced measurable levels of loneliness, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. confirmedas of 2023-05-02

    24. [24]

      On 23 May 2023 US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on social media and youth mental health, saying that despite some benefits social media poses "a profound risk of harm" to children and adolescents. confirmedas of 2023-05-23

    25. [25]

      The advisory said there was not enough evidence to conclude that social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents. confirmedas of 2023-05-23

    26. [26]

      In June 2024 Murthy called on Congress to require a warning label on social media platforms, comparing them to tobacco and alcohol. confirmedas of 2024-06-17

    27. [27]

      Australia's under-16 social media restriction is set by the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which Parliament passed on 28 November 2024. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    28. [28]

      WHO's Commission on Social Connection reported in June 2025 that 1 in 6 people worldwide is affected by loneliness and linked loneliness to more than 871,000 deaths a year. confirmedas of 2025-06-30

    29. [29]

      The WHO commission found 17-21% of people aged 13-29 reported feeling lonely, with the highest rates among teenagers. confirmedas of 2025-06-30

    30. [30]

      In July 2025 the FDA sent WHOOP a warning letter saying its Blood Pressure Insights feature was being marketed without FDA clearance or approval. confirmedas of 2025-07-14

    31. [31]

      The platforms covered at the start were Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube. confirmedas of 2025-12-10

    32. [32]

      Penalties under Australia's law fall on platforms, not on young people or parents; platforms face fines of up to A$49.5 million. confirmedas of 2026-06-25

    33. [33]

      A University of Sydney researcher cautioned SBS News that the 4.7 million figure includes multiple accounts held by the same individuals across platforms. reportedas of 2026-01-15· interpretation

    34. [34]

      In July 2026 a testing firm that had advised on Australia's age-assurance trial told Reuters that platforms asked for no age proof on any of 50 test accounts declared as 16-year-olds; eSafety said layered checks work if implemented correctly. reportedas of 2026-07-07

    35. [35]

      WHO estimates that in 2023 nearly 1 in 7 people worldwide, about 1.2 billion, were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    36. [36]

      WHO's September 2026 mental disorders fact sheet draws its prevalence figures from the 2023 Global Burden of Disease database of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    37. [37]

      The theme of World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2026 is "Lived experiences heard - real voices, real change", set by the World Federation for Mental Health and carried by WHO. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    38. [38]

      On World Mental Health Day 2026, WHO called on governments and services to accelerate the shift to community-based mental health care and to build systems together with people with lived experience. confirmedas of 2026-10-09

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created with a timeline through 11 October 2026.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Dec 10, 2026.

    Cite this page

    "Mental health policy tracker: laws, reports and deadlines to 2026." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/events/mental-health-policy-tracker

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

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