Scaling up Behavior Activation in India
Our collaborator in India (Sangath), is leading the scale up of the BA treatment (which is called the Healthy Activity Program or HAP) through India’s community health workers (the Accredited Social Health Activists or ASHA) in several districts of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Sangath is an NGO in India, striving to make quality mental health care accessible and affordable for all.
As of 2023, over 1000 ASHA have completed the HAP training, and have detected close to 2900 persons with depression. Of these persons approximately 90% have completed the treatment with over 87% remitting by the end of the treatment. Overall, ASHA have delivered 15,300+ counseling sessions for adult depression.
Here is a glimpse of the ASHA undergoing the HAP training and delivering patient care:
Voices of the ASHA
"Mental health is major issue which needs to be focused on and prioritized. Training has helped us in understanding that mental health issues are common and treatable. We don't need to stigmatize it. Early identification and treatment is the key."
- Tara Goswami, ASHA, Raisen, Madhya Pradesh
"This training has been really significant for us. It has improved our understanding of mental health. Through this training we will now be able to understand the depressive symptoms and be able to help such individuals."
- Saira Bano, ASHA, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
"I really enjoyed doing the online training on mental health designed by Sangath Bhopal. The audio-visual content used in the training programme helped in retaining the content and I was able to absorb it. I think the module has been really beneficial for all of us."
- Hemlata Sharma, ASHA, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
Learn more about HAP and other initiatives of EMPOWER in India here.