Description:
The project aims to enhance “non-professional care” by supporting Women’s Union to share good example of self-care, family care and community care for people with severe mental illness.
Objectives:
- To enhance non-professional mental health care in community
- Decrease discrimination and stigma against people with severe mental illness
- Develop an standard non-professional mental health care model in community by capacity building for Women’s Union.
Activities :
The project started to implement in June 2013 and ended in Dec 2014 in Tien Ngoai commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province
Main activities:
- Baseline and endline surveys were conducted to identify effectivess of the model
- Develop guidelines for family, and Women’s Union to conduct the project.
- Train 15 Women’s Union of mental health care and how to implement the model.
- Provide equipment for Women’s Union at commune level for clubs’ activities
- Establish and operate 09 Mental health support groups in 09 villages to share good experience and advice in taking care of people with severe mental illness.
- Provide travel support for clubs’ participants to be diagnosed at Provincial Psychiatric hospital.
- Organize a talent show “Open arms” for clubs’ participants to reduce gap between those with severe mental illness and community.
- Organize an extension of “Open arms” to encourage local primary school students to visit families having mentally ill patients and help them with household activities
Propaganda through loudspeakers, integrated village meetings in order to fulfill the gap between people with severe mental illness and community members.
Achievements:
- 09 Mental health support groups has established in each village to help families having mentally ill patients to share experience in mental health care. Some positive examples can work to earn money for their families after the intervention.
- Women’s Union becomes more confidence in mental health knowledge and essential skills such as consultation, operational skills, group discussion, etc.
- The project has completed guidelines of operating the model including 4 parts:
- Part 1: A Handbook for Women’s Union staffs
- Part 2: Manual for home based mental health care
- Part 3: Films of how to care for people with severe mental illness
- Part 4: Wall paintings
- Stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness decreased. The project also raised awareness of local authority and the community to those suffering from mental disorders.
Here are some photos from project:
