Increasing access to evidence-based interventions for common mental disorders in underserved communities in the United States: Lessons from Low- and Middle-Income Countries-Presentation and q&a

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video content is a presentation titled "Increasing Access to Evidence-Based Interventions for Common Mental Health Disorders in Underserved Communities in the United States." The presenter is Dr. Thaddeus Inonacho, an associate professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. He discusses his work in low to middle-income countries, specifically in Nigeria, where he has implemented community-based programs for mental health care. Dr. Inonacho highlights the importance of task-shifting and stepped-care approaches, where non-specialists are trained to provide basic mental health care in communities. He shares two examples: the Healthy Beginning Initiative, which uses church-based platforms for health interventions, including mental health screening and referral, and the Happiness Project, which integrates mental health and epilepsy treatment into primary care using the MHGAP tool. Dr. Inonacho emphasizes the need to adapt interventions to local cultures and to address structural and systemic issues, such as racism and the for-profit nature of healthcare in the United States. He also highlights the potential of leveraging community resources, such as churches, hair salons, and mobile crisis teams, to deliver mental health care. Overall, Dr. Inonacho advocates for a shift towards a wellness-focused and community-based approach to mental health care in underserved communities. The video was funded by the Striving for Excellence Series, made available through SAMHSA and the African American Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. CME credits were available for participants. The presenter highlighted the work of colleague Dr. Ayana Jordan in the Imani Project and the Friendship Bench project in Zimbabwe as examples of successful community-based mental health interventions.

Keywords

Increasing Access

Underserved Communities

Dr. Thaddeus Inonacho

Community-Based Programs

Task-Shifting

Stepped-Care Approaches

MHGAP Tool

Community Resources

Wellness-Focused Approach