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Developing capacity-building activities for mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries for service users and caregivers, service planners, and researchers

Part of: Editorials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 October 2017

M. Semrau*
Affiliation:
Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
A. Alem
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
J. Abdulmalik
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neuroscience and Substance Abuse, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
S. Docrat
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
S. Evans-Lacko
Affiliation:
Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
O. Gureje
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neuroscience and Substance Abuse, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
F. Kigozi
Affiliation:
Butabika National Referral and Teaching Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
H. Lempp
Affiliation:
Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine Academic Rheumatology, King's College London, London, UK
C. Lund
Affiliation:
Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
I. Petersen
Affiliation:
Centre for Rural Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
R. Shidhaye
Affiliation:
Centre for Chronic Conditions and Injuries, Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, India CAPHRI (Care and Public Health Research Institute), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
G. Thornicroft
Affiliation:
Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
C. Hanlon
Affiliation:
Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
*
*Address for correspondence: M. Semrau, Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. (Email: maya.semrau@kcl.ac.uk)
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Abstract

There is increasing international recognition of the need to build capacity to strengthen mental health systems. This is a fundamental goal of the ‘Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries’ (Emerald) programme, which is being implemented in six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda). This paper discusses Emerald's capacity-building approaches and outputs for three target groups in mental health system strengthening: (1) mental health service users and caregivers, (2) service planners and policy-makers, and (3) mental health researchers. When planning the capacity-building activities, the approach taken included a capabilities/skills matrix, needs assessments, a situational analysis, systematic reviews, qualitative interviews and stakeholder meetings, as well as the application of previous theory, evidence and experience. Each of the Emerald LMIC partners was found to have strengths in aspects of mental health system strengthening, which were complementary across the consortium. Furthermore, despite similarities across the countries, capacity-building interventions needed to be tailored to suit the specific needs of individual countries. The capacity-building outputs include three publicly and freely available short courses/workshops in mental health system strengthening for each of the target groups, 27 Masters-level modules (also open access), nine Emerald-linked PhD students, two MSc studentships, mentoring of post-doctoral/mid-level researchers, and ongoing collaboration and dialogue with the three groups. The approach taken by Emerald can provide a potential model for the development of capacity-building activities across the three target groups in LMICs.

Information

Type
Editorial
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 
Figure 0

Table 1. Approaches taken during development of capacity-building outputs within Emerald

Figure 1

Fig. 1. Approach taken to developing the Emerald capacity-building plans for mental health service users and caregivers.

Figure 2

Fig. 2. Approach taken to developing the Emerald capacity-building plans for service planners and policy-makers.

Figure 3

Fig. 3. Approach taken to developing the Emerald capacity-building plans for mental health researchers.

Figure 4

Table 2. The Emerald programme's capacity-building outputs