National program on “Community-based social assistance and rehabilitation rehabilitation for people with mental illness and mental disorders, 2011 – 2020” (the “Program 1215”) approved by Prime Minister on July 22nd, 2011. The purpose of this project is to consolidate and strengthen the quality of social protection activitites, rehabilitation and care for people with mental illness and mental disorders, including mild and moderate disorders and mental illness with community-based and comprehensive approach. In order to implement successfully the project 1215, Ministry of Labour, Invalids of Social Affairs (MOLISA) and stakeholders have built the proposal of technical project of “Support the development of social protection and rehabilitation system for people with mental disorders and mental illness with community-based approach” (referred to as the “Support project to program 1215”). The project funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies with contribution from MOLISA.
In this technical support Project, the model “Community-based Depression Management” was pilot tested as a part of program 1215. This model was Vietnamized from Depression Supported Self – Management Model developed by Simon Fraser University, Canada (SFU), successfully applied in Canada and currently had piloted successfully in Thach That and Dong Da district, Hanoi with the support of Institute of Population, Health and Development (PHAD) and SFU. The model was implemented under with a view to strengthen and improve the current primary mental health care and social support systems in Vietnam, as well as to engage families participation in screening, diagnosis and early intervention in all types of mild and moderate depression in community with the use of a non-medication intervention, which can also support those with bad depression who are on treatment and stable.
The model was piloted at 8 wards/communes from 2 districts of 2 provinces of Ben Tre and Thanh Hoa during the period of 2013 – 2015, to serve as the ground work for Department of Social Protection – MOLISA and stakeholders to make policies to implement program 1215 in the following period, from 2016 to 2020.