Mengmeng Wang

Background:Interest in developing, evaluating and funding digital mental health (DMH) services is growing. However, integrating DMH into mainstream mental health services remains challenging, and evidence on effective integration strategies remains unclear.Objectives:This review aimed to synthesise the existing literature on global efforts to integrate DMH services into existing mental health systems and identify key facilitators and barriers to successful integration.Methods:PRISMA-ScR Checklist guided this review. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Google Scholar, and hand search of the reference lists of included studies were conducted. Search terms were related to mental health, digital health, integration and frameworks. Studies providing empirical evidence on effectively integrating DMH into any mental health system and published between 2015 and 2025 were included. Data were extracted using a predefined table and synthesised through thematic analysis.Results:From 1,002 records identified, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries and published between 2021 and 2025. Integration was most frequently examined in primary care (37%) and at the national or policy level (21%). Digital platforms and mobile applications were the most common DMH modalities. Key barriers and facilitators included governance and regulation, funding and reimbursement, service design and implementation, stakeholder engagement, workforce training and awareness, infrastructure and interoperability, data security and privacy, and long-term sustainability. Conclusion:Effective DMH integration requires coordinated system-level action. Clear governance, sustainable financing, workforce development, interoperable infrastructure, and robust data governance are essential to support sustainable and equitable integration.

Data linkage is a powerful tool for understanding the multifaceted needs and priorities of mental health care from the perspective of users and providers. Its potential remains underutilised in Australian settings – the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health in 2020 highlighted a significant gap: routinely collected administrative data are seldom leveraged in mental health research and service evaluation. In this manuscript, we provide insights into how data linkage has been used in mental health research, the type of questions that can be addressed, the steps involved in conducting data linkage research and the benefits and limitations of the use of this methodology. We propose crucial recommendations for advancing this field including: enhancing education for stakeholders (including the public, data custodians, ethics committees and policy makers); fostering stronger collaborative relationships with individuals with lived experiences throughout the research journey; improving infrastructure and resources for data linkage activities and linking data across sectors to address complex meaningful research questions. Data linkage is not just a method but a critical strategy to transform mental health research and service evaluation, ensuring more informed, effective and holistic mental health care.