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. 2009 Sep;1(1):37–44. doi: 10.1016/j.inhe.2009.02.002

Table 4.

Key human resources and roles for the District Mental Health Plan.

Key human resource Basic qualification Roles
Health district manager/Primary Health Centre Health Officer Public health • Overall leadership of the district health programme
• Ensuring adequate resources and integration of mental health programme within all health activities
• Ensuring no discrimination against people with MNDs within the health-care sector
Mental Health Program Leader Psychiatrist or other mental health specialist with training and licensing for medication use; or general physician or other non-specialist practitioner with training in mental health diagnostics and medication use • Overall leadership of mental health programme
• Diagnosis of severe MND
• Initiation of pharmacological treatments for MND
• Reviews of pharmacological treatment
• Training and supervision of health counsellors
• Setting benchmarks and monitoring progress
• Refining and revising programme activities based on evaluation
• Ensuring that people with MND receive equitable care for physical health problems
• Advocacy and participation in community activities to protect human rights and build mental health literacy
Health counsellors College graduates appropriately trained to fulfil roles • Screening for common MNDs
• Community surveillance for detection and referral of probable severe MNDs
• Psychological interventions for individuals and families
• Enabling self-help groups
• Networking with other helping agencies (e.g. special schools)
Service users/volunteers Non-formal members of the mental health team • Community surveillance for detection and referral of probable severe MND
• Provision of social support to affected individual and families
• Enabling self-help groups

MND: mental and neurological disorder.