• September 5, 2021 to September 5, 2021

The mhGAP Training of Health-care Providers (ToHP) training manual has been designed to teach health-care providers how to assess and manage priority mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) conditions, using the evidence-based mhGAP Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) in non-specialized health settings.

For the best results this training should be implemented as part of a multifaceted approach to scaling up mental health care in a country. Health planners, managers and policy-makers should be involved in the training to ensure that there are adequate resources made available to primary health-care providers to deliver mhGAP interventions. Regular supervision and refresher courses should also be provided.

The ToHP training aims to ensure that health-care providers attain core competencies in delivering care for people with MNS conditions. In the ToHP training manual, 12 core competencies have been developed, which cover all areas needed to assess and manage each priority MNS condition. The 12 core competencies match the learning objectives for each module, and include attitude, knowledge and skills, and are presented below (for greater detail of each competency see ToHP training forms):

    1. Promotes respect and dignity for people with MNS conditions (attitude).
    2. Knows common presentations of priority MNS conditions (knowledge).
    3. Knows assessment principles of MNS conditions (knowledge).
    4. Knows management principles of MNS conditions (knowledge).
    5. Uses effective communication skills in all interactions with people with MNS conditions (skill).
    6. Performs assessment for priority MNS conditions (skill).
    7. Assesses and manages physical conditions of people with MNS conditions (skill).
    8. Assesses and manages emergency presentations of priority MNS conditions (skill).
    9. Provides psychosocial interventions to people with a priority MNS condition and their carer (skill).
    10. Delivers pharmacological interventions as needed and appropriate in priority MNS conditions, considering special populations (skill).
    11. Plans and performs follow-up for priority MNS conditions (skill).
    12. Refers to specialists and links with outside agencies for priority MNS conditions, as appropriate and available (skill).