BasicNeeds Vietnam

BasicNeeds Vietnam (BNVN) adapts the Model for Mental Health and Development developed by its Founder Chris Underhill, which employs a developmental approach to community-based mental health intervention with an emphasis on sustainability, to make it most suitable for the Vietnam context. It is part of the BasicNeeds Network. Started in 2010 in Vietnam, it has been successfully fund raised and run several pioneer projects on community based mental health care services development and implementation science research in Vietnam.

BNVN has been recognized nationally and regionally for the efforts and achievements in mental health promotion, community-based services development in mental health and poverty alleviation, community empowerment and advocacy for community based mental health services to be adopted by the formal systems and covered by official health insurance scheme of the government:

Summary of relevant work:

1.5M US$ funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies for 4 years (2010 – 2014) to implement the Model for Mental Health and Development in Thua Thien Hue province;
1M CAD funded by the Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) for 3 years (2016 – 2018) project to implement the Collaborative Stepped Care Model for Depression Management in Da Nang and Thua Thien Hue province, focus on poor women with depression;
1M US$ funded by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for 5 years (2019 – 2023) to implement the Collaborative Stepped Care Model for Depression Management in Thua Thien Hue, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh province and research to find out the best implementation model for Vietnam.
133,355 USD funded by Johnson &Johnson for a 1 year (2020) project to implement the Collaborative Stepped Care Model for Depression Management in 10 selected sites in Thai Nguyen province, for general population with depression.
Total US$ 164,864 funded by Johnson & Johnson for a 1 (2021) year project to implement the Collaborative Stepped Care Model for Depression Management in 10 selected sites in Thai Nguyen and Ninh Binh province, for general population with depression.
Total US$ 200,835 funded by Johnson & Johnson for a 1 year period (2022) year project to implement the Collaborative Stepped Care Model for Depression Management in 10 selected sites in Thai Nguyen and Ninh Binh province, for general population with depression.
invited by the WHO, MoH and National Mental Health Program to be involved on the protocol development for community-based management of Anxiety and Depression, and to be on the Reviewing Board for protocol development for community-based management of Epilepsy;
invited by MOLISA to be on Reviewing Board for model development and capacity building for social worker for the National program on community based social supports and rehabilitation for people with mental illness;
Invited by the National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) to support the establishment of the Psycho Oncology Dept. in the hospital.
invited to share its lesson learnt and achievements on several well-known national TV programs, international conferences and forums, being the showcase on WHO website, receiving Certificates of Merit from Da Nang People Committee and Award from UN Zero Project.