Training program for setting up Mental health care service packages at out-patient clinics in the Van Don district (Quang Ninh province). 2009

Phase one of the impact evaluation on palliative care intervention in two out-patient clinics of Van Don and Cam Pha, conducted by FHI-US and RTCCD, found that the most common mental problems among people living with HIV (PLHIV) are anxiety (26%) and depression (40%), and that more than one third (37%) people interviewed people suffer from both anxiety and depression. It is a good time to provide an intervention for building up the clinic’s capacity to provide palliative care, with a focus on psychological care for anxiety and depression. Three training courses have been conducted by the RTCCD and TuNa clinic team for 15 Van Don out-patient clinic staff members, focusing on providing the trainee with basic understanding of mental diseases; the burden of diseases for the community and specifically for PLHIV; practicing the diagnosis, examination and treatment of depression and anxiety; performing skills such as patient recording, cause diagnosis, making a treatment plan, consultancy, and medicine usage; and encouraging the performance of Duong Sinh TuNa in order to provide the patient with correct techniques and to instil the habit of doing exercises frequently. The mentoring has been followed with continuous on-the-job training and technical support every month by Dr. Buoi, head of TuNa clinic. The mental health care service has received extensive positive feedback from the PLHIV and clinic staff.

Two courses on introducing community-based mental health care: 2008

These courses were designed and launched by the RTCCD and TuNa clinic team, in response to a request from the Vietnam Administration of Child Care and Protection (MOLISA).  35 health professionals from commune health centres of four wards in Hanoi, psychological counsellors of a hotline, the Hanoi Department of Labours, and VVAF participated in the course. After the course, participants expressed their interest in the course content and training methods, highlighted their improvement in understanding and belief in mental health disorders and illnesses, and identified the need for early diagnosis of mental disorders using validated screening tools. Many registered to attend a yoga course in TuNa clinic, or asked for further training for young mothers who are living in their management sites.

One-week training course on management of six common mental disorders at the primary health care level: 2007

27 community health workers in Da Nang and Khanh Hoa were trained by Dr. La Thi Buoi on how to recognize and address six common mental health disorders: depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, sleep problems, chronic tiredness and unexplained somatic complaints. The training aimed to provide health care providers with improved knowledge and skills to optimally screen patients and support them in overcoming mental health disorders while remaining within their communities and with their own families.

Training course on designing and conducting epidemiological studies on common perinatal mood disorders and validation of psychometric instruments in Vietnam: 2006

The course was designed via a collaboration between the Key Centre for Women’s Health in Society (University of Melbourne) and RTCCD. Trainers included Professor Jane Fisher at KCWH, Professor Dominique Lee from Hong Kong University and Dr. Tran Tuan director of RTCCD. It involved 21 participants from RTCCD and the TUNA clinic and representatives from the National Obstetric Hospital, the National Mental Health Hospital, the National Committee for Population Family and Childcare, the Department of Health Ha Nam province, the Department of Health Hung Yen province, Hung Yen Mental Health hospital, Precinct Health Centres and Aging Care Centres. The course provided training on the perinatal situation around the world and in Vietnam, on the DSM-IV manual and diseases, and on how to classify mental health disorders using SCID, and used field visits for practice.

Mental health and community-based prevention: 2006

The course was offered to staff at the Vietnam Veterans American Foundation. It aimed to provide non-health professionals with knowledge and skills in community-based services for mental health care (identification, care, counselling and mental health rehabilitation) and to influence their attitudes towards this type of care. The course included 12 theoretical sessions and 16 practical sessions. Each session lasted three hours.