Spain’s Ministry of Health has released a pioneering document titled “Work and Mental Health: Roadmap for Health Administrations in Spain”, aimed at guiding public health institutions in addressing the complex relationship between employment conditions and mental health outcomes.

The roadmap was developed by an interdisciplinary group of experts convened by the Spanish Government’s Commissioner for Mental Health. Among its co-authors are Joan Benach, Co-Director of the JHU-UPF Public Policy Center; Ferran Muntané, the Center’s Research Manager; and Pablo Ruisoto, Visiting Researcher at the Center. All three took part in the official presentation of the report held at the Ministry of Health in Madrid on June 25, 2025.

The document provides a comprehensive framework for:

• Understanding the effects of precarious, unstable, and harmful working conditions on mental health;

• Guiding primary healthcare professionals in identifying and addressing these risks;

• Establishing an early-warning system to monitor and prevent mental health deterioration related to employment;

• Developing cross-sectoral actions and inter-administrative collaboration to promote mental well-being through structural and policy change.

Drawing on extensive evidence and field expertise, the report emphasizes the urgent need for a systemic approach. “The impact of working conditions on mental health cannot be treated merely as an individual or clinical issue,” the authors argue. “It is a structural matter that requires public policy intervention and a rethinking of the organization of care, employment, and social protection systems.”

This contribution forms part of the JHU-UPF Public Policy Center’s broader commitment to tackling social determinants of health and advancing equity-driven, interdisciplinary policy solutions.

Download the full document here.