title: How can mental health and faith-based practitioners work together? A case study of collaborative mental health in Gujarat, India.
abstract: Despite the knowledge that people with mental illness often seek care from multiple healing systems, there is limited collaboration between these systems. Greater collaboration with existing community resources could narrow the treatment gap and reduce fragmentation by encouraging more integrated care. This paper explores the origins, use, and outcomes of a collaborative programme between faith-based and allopathic mental health practitioners in India. We conducted 16 interviews with key stakeholders and examined demographic and clinical characteristics of the user population. Consistent with previous research, we found that collaboration is challenging and requires trust, rapport-building, and open dialogue. The collaboration reached a sizeable population, was reviewed favourably by key stakeholders-particularly on health improvement and livelihood restoration-and perhaps most importantly, views the client holistically, allowing for both belief systems to play a shared role in care and recovery. Results support the idea that, despite differing practices, collaboration between faith-based and allopathic mental health practitioners can be achieved and can benefit clients with otherwise limited access to mental health care.
authors.affiliation: Trimbos Institute/Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction, the Netherlands lshields@trimbos.nl.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Mental Health, India.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Altruist, India.
authors.forename: Ravindra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bakre
authors.affiliation: Altruist, India.
authors.forename: Milesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamlai
authors.affiliation: VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Durwin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joske
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bunders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D029221:Faith Healing; D005260:Female; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: India; collaboration; community mental health; faith-based services; low- and middle-income countries; psychiatry