The community empowerment approach of KOSHISH promotes self-empowerment, inclusive families, responsive governance, and a sensitive community for the wellbeing of persons with psychosocial issues. and elimination of barriers that restrict participation and inclusion on an equal basis with others. KOSHISH promotes full compliance with UNCRPD (hover text-article 3) to ensure rights of persons with mental health condition and psychosocial disability and focuses on a person centered right based approach to model community mental health services that is replicable by the government and other stakeholders.
The approach emphasizes social considerations in basic services and security, strengthening support systems, and providing non-specialized and specialized services to persons with mental health conditions in line with WHO’s IASC guideline.
Community Mental Health (CMH) Program
Community Mental Health (CMH) is one of the key programs to extend services in order to improve the quality of life of persons with or at risk of mental health conditions. The program is promoting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in the communities through awareness and de-stigmatization campaigns. The program has been applying evidence-based practices and has envisioned a replicable model of mental health service in community settings. The CMH program contributes to mental health initiatives of the Government of Nepal, SDG Goal and work towards ensuring ‘No one is Left Behind’.
This program focuses on:
- Empowerment and engagement
- Community mobilization
- Stigma and barrier reduction
- Wellbeing promotion
- Conducive environment
Projects under CMH Program
Project Name: Inclusive Community Mental Health Program (ICMH Program)
Duration: 2019-2023 (5 Yrs.)
Partner: cbm
(Learn more about the project)
Learn more about the project section:
Introduction:
The project was developed to address the needs of mental health and psychosocial support in the proposed project area. Local elected government representatives, government staff, community stakeholders of health, education, persons with disabilities, local NGOs were involved in the project conceptualization process. Along with them, CBM and Executive Board members of KOSHISH (all having experience with mental health and psychosocial condition) were also involved in various brainstorming and project planning process together with local governments and relevant stakeholders.Project is aiming to reach 5,400 persons living with and who are at risk of mental health and psychosocial condition with direct mental health and psychosocial support services at community level. Similarly, the project will focus on strengthening the local health system to establish and ensure the capacity and availability of mental health and psychosocial intervention at community level.
The project will contribute to realization of United Nations Convention of the Rights of Person with Disability (UNCRPD) by increasing the access and ensuring the rights of persons with psychosocial disability on MHPSS intervention, creating a welcoming environment for their participation and social integration, and to reduce the rooted stigma towards mental health and psychosocial condition. Similarly, the project will also contribute to Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goal, which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, target 3.4 is: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. Finally, the project will contribute to mainstream mental health in local health facilities.
Objectives:
- Improve quality of life of women, men, girls, and boys living with and who are at risk of mental health and psychosocial disability in collaboration with Local Governments
- Increase access to quality Mental Health and Psychosocial services (MHPSS) by supporting the local government to make their frameworks, programs and practices inclusive of mental health in Besisahar Municipality, Marsyandi Rural Municipality, Paluntaar Municipality, and Siranchowk Rural Municipality of Lamjung and Gorkha Districts
Project Location:
- Besisahar Municipality,
- Marsyandi Rural Municipality,
- Paluntaar Municipality and
- Siranchowk Rural Municipality of Lamjung and Gorkha Districts
Beneficiaries:
Direct beneficiaries: The project aims to reach 5,400 persons living with and who are at risk of mental health and psychosocial conditions. These are the direct beneficiaries which will be reached and benefited by direct mental health and psychosocial services.
Indirect Beneficiaries: Different community groups, female community health volunteers, students, school teachers, community leaders who will be reached through the different orientation, sensitization, awareness campaigns, IEC materials dissemination benefited by easy access of services on mental health and psychosocial at their door step. ……
Stakeholders:
Municipality and Rural municipality, Disabled People’s Organization, Female community health volunteers, teachers, social workers, hospitals, health workers, community-based organizations, youth clubs and livelihood actors of the catchment area
Major Activities:
- Sensitization to provincial and local government representatives on mental health, psychosocial disability and related laws and policies including UNCRPD and QualityRight toolkit
- Capacity building of paramedics/medical officers and nurses in providing mental health and psychosocial service
- Orientation to Female Community Health Volunteers, Health Facilities Operation and Management Committee, community volunteers, social mobilizers, and key persons on suicide prevention, mental health, and psychosocial wellbeing
- Facilitate to organize Mental Health Outpatient Department (OPD) service
- Provide mental health and psychosocial support services (counselling and therapy) to local community people in need
- Orientation to school teacher, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and School Management Community (SMC) Members on psychosocial wellbeing at school
- Facilitate for psychosocial wellbeing literacy and emotional sharing mechanism in school improvement plan
- Facilitate to form Self Help Groups (SHG) of persons with psychosocial disability
(Learn More about the Project Achievement)
Key Achievements of the Project:
We will update the impact-level news generated by the project including photos and videos on periodic basis. It will display similar to news portal.
Project Name: Mainstreaming Community Mental Health Program in Government Health System
Duration: 2020-2023 (4 Yrs.)
Partner: cbm
(Learn more about the project)
Learn more about the project section:
Introduction:
Summary of the project
Objectives:
- In Bullets
Project Location:
….
Beneficiaries:
……
Stakeholders:
……
Major Activities and Target Numbers:
- In Bullets
Budget
……
(Learn More about the Project Achievement)
Key Achievements of the Project:
We will update the impact-level news generated by the project including photos and videos on periodic basis. It will display similar to news portal.
Project Name: Working Together for Suicide Prevention
Duration: 2021-2023 (3 Yrs.)
Partner: cbm
(Learn more about the project)
Learn more about the project section:
Introduction:
Summary of the project in 250 words
Objectives:
- In Bullets
Project Location:
….
Beneficiaries:
……
Stakeholders:
……
Major Activities and Target Numbers:
- In Bullets
Budget
……
(Learn More about the Project Achievement)
Key Achievements of the Project:
We will update the impact-level news generated by the project including photos and videos on periodic basis. It will display similar to news portal.
Project Name: Strengthening the resilience of earthquake-affected communities in Nuwakot district
Duration: 2020 July – 2023 April
Partner: Malteser International
(Learn more about the project)
Learn more about the project section:
Introduction:
In order to overcome the stigma of mental illness and psychosocial disability and to create a supportive environment for those affected (i.e. people with MHPSD or at risk of being affected), the target population is educated and sensitized to on the issue. This includes raising awareness on mental health and psychosocial well being. The project aims to generate awareness through educational materials, street theatre plays and radio programs.
Secondly, in order to provide high quality mental health and psychosocial services to the populations, the capacity of health workers and health institutions will be strengthened. The project will conduct 2 OPD services monthly for 2 years in collaboration with the Rural Municipality. The OPD services will be facilitated by Consultant Psychiatrist. The project also aims to provide specialized care for the people having severe mental health conditions.
The school initiative in the field of mental health and psychosocial care will be another initiation by project to promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of the children and adolescents.
Formation of self-help groups in order to promote the inclusion and self determination of people with disabilities.
The project will also lobby on mental health and psychosocial disability at national, provincial, and local levels to ensure that the decision makers on the government side are sufficiently aware and the laws and programmes are applied to address mental health needs and psychosocial disability activities are carried out.
Objectives:
- Improved quality of life of persons living with and who are at risk of mental health and psychosocial disability in Panchakanya Rural Municipality
Project Location:
Panchakanya Rural Municipality, Nuwakot
Ward No. 1 – Baniyatar, Ward No. 2 – Kabilas, Ward No. 3 – Panchakanya, Ward No. 4 – Thaprek, Ward No. 5 – Bhadrutar
Beneficiaries:
The project directly targets 1500 people with mental health conditions receiving treatment, 24 health workers, 70 FCHVs, 375 community group representatives (women’s groups, mother’s groups, traditional healers, etc.), 24 teachers, approximately 1603 students and 300 government officials at all levels (ward, RM, Provincial and national).
Stakeholders:
Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Mental Health Focal Point of Government of Nepal, Government agencies, National Federation of Disabled Nepal (NFDN), Health staffs, Teachers, Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHV), Traditional Healers, Community groups (Mothers Group, Youth groups),Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Self – Help groups, Political leaders and other MHPSS actors.
Major Activities and Target Numbers:
- Community awareness campaigns on Mental Health and psychosocial disability
- Capacity building of health facilities and health workers
- Mental Health and Psychosocial support services
- School initiatives in the field of mental health and psychosocial care
- Establishment and support of self-help groups
- Lobbying on Mental Health and psychosocial disability at national, provincial and local level
- Short term studies
COVID-19 related special measures:
- Care for people with mental disorders and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Online training of key persons in psychological first aid
- Educating the population about the psychological burden of corona pandemic
Budget
The total estimated budget for the project is NPR 39169500; including program and administration costs.
(Learn More about the Project Achievement)
Key Achievements of the Project:
We will update the impact-level news generated by the project including photos and videos on periodic basis. It will display similar to news portal.
- Capacity building of 5 CPSW on Mental Health Psychosocial Support and Social Mobilization
- COVID – 19 response – Basic support for the families of person living with disability – 246 families (Male – 199 and Female – 47)
- Production and broadcasting of 24 radio program about the psychological burden of corona pandemic
- 65 Events of Community awareness campaigns in Panchakanya RM has been completed
- 4 Educational sessions for the community representatives on suicide prevention has been completed
- 12 Episodes of radio program on mental health and psychosocial well being has been completed
- 11 persons having severe mental health condition has been referred for specialized care in transit home
- 6 days of prescriber mhGAP training for 10 health workers has been completed
- 3 training events for FCHVs on identification and referral mechanism has been conducted
- 3 sessions of OPD services has been completed in order to provide quality mental health services for the people living with mental health conditions
- 45 individual counselling sessions has been provided through home visits