Mental health and psycho-social well-being of children, caregivers, and vulnerable populations improved through promotion, response and support activities
Background: Nepal’s population is disproportionately young 40 percent of which are children and adolescents under the age of 18 years. Given the considerable share of the adolescent population (24 percent), the demographic dividend this population brings, and because it is their right, Nepal must ensure that these young people are given the support and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. Although half of all mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, start by the age of 14, and 75 percent occur before the age of 18 years, these often go unrecognized and untreated, with subsequent effects on adult mental health, social functioning, and parenting, even potentially leading to acts of suicide or self -harm. The current COVID -19 situation has exacerbated the mental health, especially of most vulnerable people including children, women, and other marginalized communities due to uncertainty of the situation, isolation, pre-existing inequalities, and stressors of a varied nature.
The program is developed acknowledging the criticality of addressing structural gaps in mental health and psychosocial service provision, enhancing social acceptance of mental health needs, and improving coordination between community-based and specialized mental health services.
In addition, prevention and promotion of mental health of adolescents can reduce the incidence of mental health conditions. Thus, this project envisions adapting, piloting, and scale-up of Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) intervention developed by UNICEF and WHO.
Aim:
- To promote the psychological well-being of children, adolescents, caregivers, and vulnerable persons in need of psychosocial support
- To increase awareness of psychological and mental health issues among target populations and service providers
- To improve the quality of psychosocial counseling and group psychoeducation through training, effective mentoring and clinical supervision
- To enhance the integration of psychosocial support in schools to reduce the risk of violence, including early marriage, online violence, and exploitation with a focus on enhancing the capacity of school management, teachers, students and parents
- To translate, adapt, pilot, and scale-up HAT intervention in Karnali Province.
Implementation areas:
Madhesh Province: Dhanusha, Mahottari, Rautahat and Parsa
Karnali Province: Surkhet and other neighboring districts
Sudurpaschim Province: Kailali, Kanchanpur, Doti, Dadeldhura, Achham, Bajura and Bajhang
Bagmati Province: Kathmandu Valley
Lumbini Province
Time frame: 15 March, 2022 to 31 December, 2024
Target Population: Adolescents and caregivers, community, schools
Supported by: UNICEF