Sustainable Partnerships to Ensure Quality in Psychological Support (EQUIP) for Adolescents

Muthoni Mathai, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Anne Mbwayo, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Tessa Concepcion, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Teresia Mutavi, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Michael Njeru, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Stella Waruinge, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Shannon Dorsey, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Alison Schafer, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Gloria A. Pedersen, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Moitreyee Sinha, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Brandon A. Kohrt, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).
Pamela Y. Collins, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya (Mathai, Mbwayo, Mutavi); Departments of Global Health (Concepcion, Collins), Psychology (Dorsey), and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Collins), University of Washington, Seattle; citiesRISE, Nairobi, Kenya (Njeru), and New York City (Sinha); Mental Health Unit, Health Directorate, Nairobi County Government, Nairobi, Kenya (Waruinge); Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (Schafer); Global Mental Health Progam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (Pedersen, Kohrt).

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-10-2023

Journal

Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.20220200

Keywords

Adolescents; Community mental health services; Ensuring Quality in Psychological Support (EQUIP); Global mental health; Partnerships; Psychotherapy

Abstract

Ensuring that sustainable and effective mental health services are available for children and adolescents is a growing priority for national governments. However, little guidance exists on how to support service implementation. In Kenya, partnerships were formed among regional government, nongovernmental organizations, and universities to implement Ensuring Quality in Psychological Support (EQUIP)-Nairobi, a pilot project to train and supervise nonspecialists delivering psychological support to adolescents. Lessons were learned about integrating psychological services into existing health services by using the EQUIP platform to assess competencies, engaging partners for supervision and quality improvement, and involving youth stakeholders. The partnerships facilitated a rapid transition to remote services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The EQUIP-Nairobi project results offer lessons for partnerships in other low-resource settings.

Department

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

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