The Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD) is recognized by international and national organizations as a leading agency for research, training, counseling and treatment of mental disorders in mothers and children in Vietnam. The TuNa clinic model is considered to be a standard model for expertise and professional ethics in the field of mental health care in developing countries, and the efforts of RTCCDto promote mental health care in Vietnam have been a success story.
Bringing Mental Health onto the Agenda
RTCCD first approached the issue of mental health care by conductingresearch on poverty in children (Young Lives, 2003). Through this research it was discovered that 20% of randomly selected samples of children and mothers were suffering from mental disorders. To confirm these figures, the RTCCD implemented some internationally qualified basic research studies and established the fact that mental disorders are a neglected public health problem in Vietnam. Based on the outcome of this research, RTCCD has publicized the problem and had positive impacts on the policy-making process by being involved in organizing national and international scientific workshops, publishing in national and international magazines, and writing articles in daily newspapers to raise public awareness.
In September 2005, RTCCD established the TuNa clinic to provide advice, treatment and prevention of mental disorders inmothers and children. In 2006, RTCCD expanded its scope to include research on mental disorders inpregnant women and women raising small children, and implemented a series of research studies to standardize the screening method used to identify mental disorders in children (SDQ25), adults (SRQ20), pregnant women and women raising small children (The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), using internationally accepted levels of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic thresholds. In October 2006, RTCCD officially announced a theory model for the integration of mental health care into primary health care, developed the TuNa clinic and the training documents that were used for the development of this model, and provided technical support to WAF to implement basic research and training for staff who carry out primary mental health care in the Da Nang and Khanh Hoa provinces.
In 2007 research, training and international cooperation for mental health care were significantly improved. In June 2007, RTCCD in collaboration with the Melbourne University, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized an international conference to discuss mental health care for pregnant women and mothers of young children in countries whereresources are limited. This conference recommended joint action to appeal to the Governments and international organizations to promote the mental health care in the perinatal period. With the support of WHO and the agreement of the Ministry of Health, the RTCCD conducted a research study to evaluate the health care management model for schizophrenia and epilepsy patients at the community level. The results of this research were discussed in a workshop on how to improve the community-based mental health care model, held in Hanoi in December 2007 by the Ministry of Health, WHO, and the RTCCD-University of Melbourne Partnership.
The success story
Three elements have led to the success of the RTCCD: its systematic and scientific vision, its multi-lateral cooperation and its national and international highly skilled, prestigious professionals.
The systematic and scientific vision
The staff at the RTCCD is comprised of leading experts in epidemiology, health care system research and community development. As a result of this expertise RTCCD has recognized that addressing mental health can contribute to the reduction of poverty. This approach has led to success in lobbying those involved in the policy-making process, and has helped to drawthe attention of leaders by connecting the mental health issue with poverty reduction in Vietnam. Due to their internationally qualified capacity in epidemiology, RTCCD has successfully implemented community research and used the evidence from this research in the establishment of intervention projects. Ultimately, with 20 years of knowledgeof health care system research and community health care, RTCCD has overcome many impediments to find solutions that can solve the mental health problem in Vietnam.
Multi-lateral cooperation
RTCCD has cooperated with many national and international organisations in the field of mental health care. RTCCD, in collaboration with the National Committee for Population, Family and Children, has incorporated mental health care for children into the Action Plan for Children in 2006-2010, and has also piloted a research model to introduce mental health care into the school curriculum. In collaboration with the National Assembly Committee for Social Problems and the Ministry of Education and Training, RTCCD lobbied for the provision of training on mental health care for schoolchildren. In September 2006, RTCCD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Hospital of Psychiatry No.1 for the development of cooperation on mental health. In August 2007, RTCCD signed a co-operational agreement with the National Hospital of Pediatrics for the development of research and training, which was preparation for long-term coordination to promote pediatric mental health care in Vietnam. The national workshops on the mental health organized by RTCCD, were always actively participated by The Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Medical Association, the Vietnam Science and Technology Associations Union and the institutes, hospitals and leading universities activiely participated in National workshops on mental health held by the RTCCD.
International cooperation onmental health between the RTCCD and other organisations has been significantly developed. WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, IOM and Myer Foundation have provided funds or technical cooperation to RTCCD for the past 3 years. WAF signed a long-term contract with RTCCD and the TuNa clinic in order to get technical support from RTCCD for the Community Mental Health Care System establishment Project in 2 provinces, namely Da Nang and Khanh Hoa, in 2006.
In February 2005, RTCCD and the leading psychiatrists at Melbourne University co-established the RTCCD - Melbourne University Partnership for Action Research on Primary Mental Health Care for Mothers and Children in Vietnam.
This research cooperation model has been evaluated as the most successful scientific development cooperation in the field of mental health care between Australia and Vietnam.
National and international highly skilled, prestigious professionals
La Thi Buoi, MD, PhD: The head of TuNa clinic has had 30 years of experience in lecturing and clinical research for mental health. Dr. Buoi and TuNa clinic staff provide services for the early diagnosis, and treatment of each patient in a diversified and effective manner.
Van Thi Mai Dung, MSc, Pediatrician. Dr Dung has had over 20 years of experience in research, training and pediatric care practice. She was directly responsible for the establishment of the TuNa clinic and has developed training documents for the comprehensive child care and development. Dr. Dung worked for 3 months at the Melbourne University, conducting research on how to organize the pediatric mental health care clinic and train Mental Health staff and participated the international training course for mental health care in 2007.
Tran Tuan MD, PhD: Dr. Tran Tuan was responsible for developing the strategies and designing and developing the research, training, and counseling in mental health care for mothers and children at RTCCD. He won the Australian Leadership Award Fellowship 2007 prize for his scientific contribution to the community surrounding mental health care in developing countries, is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Mental Health Care Systems, an international scientific journal that specializes in mental health care, and is co-chairman of the Research Cooperation Association for Mental Health Care between RTCCD and the University of Melbourne. In October 2007, Dr. Tran Tuan attended an international workshop on Globe Mental Health Care, organized at the Melbourne University and chaired the session on how to promote mental health care in developing countries.