In 2009, up on the request of the MOH and the MOLISA, and the WHO, Vietnam sent an international consultant, associate professor Harry Minas to Vietnam for reviewing the mental health care service and the system of the MOLISA centres for persons with severe mental disorders.  A mission report by Ass. Prof. Minas has been circulated to the WHO, the MOH, and the MOLISA.  The report highlighted “a need for a comprehensive and quick initial analysis of the current situation in the MOLISA social protection centres for people with severe mental disorder and, more broadly, of the mental health treatment, care and support system in Vietnam”.  This study is assumed to be done by the MOLISA with technical support from the WHO office in Vietnam.

As a result of discussion between the MOLISA and the WHO, Vietnam, the RTCCD has been asked to provide technical assistance to the research including the design and report writing and the RTCCD will support the MOLISA to collect information for the analysis

It is estimated that a systematic review of mental health care at the three levels are needed: (1) ministry level (for reviewing mental health policies and planning- the objectives 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) , (2) provincial level (for assessing mental health institution capacity and needs of care for patients- the objectives 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8) , and (3) community level (for investigating community-based resources for mental health care as well as needs of patient care at community level- the objectives 3 and 8).

In addition, to reach eight objectives, different targeted groups at each level are requested for information collection.  The following targeted groups for this study are recognized:

·          Government staff at ministry (MOLISA & MOH), provincial institutions (MOLISA Centers & MOH psychiatric hospitals), and local government who will be interviewed for clarifying the environmental context of mental health policy development, implementation plan and budget sources and budget volumes for running the plans.

·          Health personnel who are involved in the daily running MOLISA Centers and who are running community-based mental health care projects at community level.

·          Social workers (in a practical concept in Vietnam) at community level who are involved in the provision of social supports to patients with mental disorders at the community level

·          Patients and families who take care (or not take care) at MOLISA Centers, MOH psychiatric hospitals, MOH project of community based mental health care, MOLISA social support project to mental patients.

Therefore, the study indeed is a complex research, which consists of at least three specific studies:

·          A study on mental health policy analysis using secondary data and in-depth interviews conducted wit key informants at each level. This study aims to reach objectives (1), (2), and (3).

·          An organizational analysis of the MOLISA Centers system for which we have to use both quantitative and qualitative research tools to make clear the current context, services provided, human resource capacity, infrastructure, and sources of funding.  This study aims to achieve the objectives  (3), (4), (5), and (6)

·          A patient need assessment and an investigation into the context of community support to mental patients for which we also use both quantitative and qualitative research  tools in order to achieve objectives (7) and (8).

Eight provinces, representative of eight regions in Vietnam have been selected for the study.  It is expected that the data collection would be carried out in May and June and the report is available to submit to the Ministries by October.