The trip was welcomed and worked directly by Ms. Nguyen Thanh Tam, Director of BasicNeeds Vietnam, and Ms. Pham Thi Son from the Line Direction Department, Ninh Binh Psychiatric Hospital.

During the program, Caritas Da Lat had the opportunity to visit the field, meet and discuss with medical staff, psychiatric hospitals, and participate in community-based depression management activities under the project "Strengthening the health system's capacity for community-based care for effective depression management in Ninh Binh province." This project has been implemented since May 2022 in 11 communes of Hoa Lu district and 10 communes of Ninh Binh city.

Schedule: November 5, 2024: Caritas Da Lat staff participate in activities at Nam Binh Ward Medical Center, City. Ninh Binh. November 6, 2024: Participate in project activities at Yen Hoa Commune Medical Center, Yen Mo District.

Group Therapy Activity “Happy Classroom”

Caritas Da Lat staff participate in group therapy activities at the "Happiness Class" organized by medical staff for patients with depression screening results. Each class session lasts 90 minutes, designed according to research and testing topics, including main contents such as:

  • Evaluate your mood before and after the lesson,
  • Implement therapeutic games,
  • Therapy sharing content according to the curriculum.

Through direct experience and exchange of professional questions in coordinating classes and group therapy, Caritas Da Lat staff had a deeper insight into the "community-based depression management" model of the BasicNeeds Vietnam project.

After the class, Caritas Da Lat staff, Ms. Tam and project medical staff had a discussion and answered questions about the patient screening process at project locations through standard screening methods (PHQ-2, PHQ-9). This activity helps Caritas better understand the process that led to the organization of the current “Happiness Classes”.

Through participating in two locations, Caritas Da Lat staff had the opportunity to compare and evaluate implementation models in cities and rural areas, drawing new experiences and knowledge from reality.

This trip not only helped Caritas Da Lat learn about the BasicNeeds model but also opened a deep connection with BasicNeeds Vietnam in supporting people with mental health problems in Vietnam. Through the visit, the two sides gained more understanding and created a foundation for specific future cooperation plans. BasicNeeds Vietnam promises to provide more professional support and cooperate with Caritas Da Lat in community-based mental health care programs, bringing many practical values ​​to the community in the near future.

The learning trip brought a lot of value and meaning to Caritas Da Lat staff, helping the team acquire more knowledge about BasicNeeds' projects, as well as necessary skills when working with the community. Thanks to the enthusiastic support of Ms. Tam and the medical staff implementing the project, Caritas Da Lat staff have gained diverse and profound perspectives, contributing to improving the quality of mental health care and support for patients in the community.

K'Diem