StrongMinds Helps Launch a Coalition for Scaling Mental Health

StrongMinds is proud to announce we are a founding member of the Coalition For Scaling Mental Health (CSMH) and are joining forces with three other organizations dedicated to expanding access to mental health care globally.

Our Shared Vision

Together with Friendship Bench, Ubuntu Center for Peace, and Shamiri Institute, the coalition aims to dramatically increase the availability of evidence-based mental health interventions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Using our collective 25 years of experience in developing and scaling mental health caregiving models, we seek to reach millions of individuals struggling with mental health challenges. We aim to elevate the voices of frontline workers and democratize mental health care for all.

Mental health disorders affect millions of people worldwide, yet treatment gaps remain staggeringly high in many areas. By joining forces, we can accelerate progress and make a more significant impact than any single organization could achieve alone.

We are committed to five guiding principles, which are crucial for achieving seamless integration of mental health care within local communities while upholding fidelity of practice:

1. Lay Providers: We prioritize task-shifting to lay providers who have direct access to communities and are effective in reducing barriers to accessing mental health support services, including stigma and cost.
2. Training and Supervision: To uphold the fidelity of service provision by lay providers, we need to provide comprehensive support to them through continuous training and supervision. 
3. Paid: We recognize and remunerate individuals who contribute to, support, and influence our work. 
4. Evidence-Based Practices: Our work, principles, programs, and initiatives are underpinned by rigorous research and evidence.
5. Integration with Established Healthcare Systems: Our efforts are designed to complement and enhance existing healthcare systems rather than operate in isolation. By collaborating with these systems, we ensure the comprehensiveness and sustainability of our programs.
   

Key Focus Areas

To effectively drive our principles and realize the objectives of a Coalition for Scaling Mental Health, we have devised a comprehensive three-pronged strategy:

1. Advocacy and Dialogue: We will engage in constructive dialogue with governments, health organizations, and other key stakeholders to highlight the need to integrate community-based mental health services into primary healthcare and educational settings.
2. Research and Evidence: We are committed to understanding the landscape of mental health implementers, analyzing their success metrics, and identifying the support required to expand their interventions successfully.
3. Adopting a Common Measure: We will create or adapt a culturally inclusive measure for mental health and well-being to serve as a standardized tool for assessing the impact of our interventions across different communities and regions.

Looking Ahead

Our mission to transform mental health care worldwide is just beginning. Our coalition’s approach can potentially reduce treatment gaps and revolutionize mental health support on a global scale.

However, achieving this vision requires collective action. We invite policymakers, individuals, implementers, funders, academics, and others who share our vision to join us in our commitment to bridging the mental health treatment gap.

We are excited to continue driving meaningful change on a global scale and look forward to sharing the impact of our collective efforts in the coming months.