Ms. Marta Krivade, from Riga, Latvia, received a master’s degree in public health from Riga Stradinš University in 2023.  She has held a variety of government positions since 2018, including previously advising the Latvian Minister of Health on mental health care policy. She also previously oversaw oncology and pharmacy policy, and has helped to refine the ministry’s communications.

While in the role as adviser in the Latvian Ministry of Health, Ms. Krivade focused on modernizing state mental health services, which had significantly deteriorated. Currently mental health is Latvia’s fastest-growing health policy with patient access to support therapies, community-based services for adolescents with depression, diagnosis and early intervention for individuals with autism, and access to state-funded psychotherapy sessions and crisis hotlines.

During her fellowship, Ms. Krivade plans to begin work on developing a comprehensive preventative policy for public mental health, including addressing issues such as the prevention of mental health problems in children and adolescents, prevention of domestic violence and working with individuals with addictions. She hopes to learn more about the inclusion of soft skills such as mindfulness in prevention policy, deepen her understanding of the socio-cultural contexts on public health and increase her knowledge of modern health education and campaigns.