A transdisciplinary public health model for child and adolescent mental healthcare in low- and middle-income countries

Despite the high burden of child and adolescent mental health problems in LMICs, attributable to poverty and childhood adversity, access to quality mental healthcare services is poor. LMICs, due to paucity of resources, also contend with shortage of trained mental health workers and paucity of standardized intervention modules and materials. In the wake of these challenges, and given that child development and mental health concerns cut across a plethora of disciplines, sectors and services, public health models need to incorporate integrated approaches to responding to the mental health and psychosocial care needs of vulnerable children. This article presents a working model for convergence, and the practice of transdisciplinary Public Health, in order to address the gaps and challenges in child and adolescent mental healthcare in LMICs. Located in a state tertiary mental healthcare institution, this national level model reaches (child care) service providers and stakeholders, duty-bearers, and citizens (namely parents, teachers, protection functionaries, health workers and other interested parties) through capacity building initiatives and tele-mentoring services, public discourse series, developed for a South Asian context and delivered in diverse languages. ROLE OF FUNDING SOURCE: The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, provides financial support to the SAMVAD initiative.