Innovative Models in Mental Health Delivery Systems: Task Sharing Care with Non-specialist Providers to Close the Mental Health Treatment Gap

Purpose of Review Most people do not have access to adequate mental health care, and lack of skilled human resources is a major factor. We provide a narrative review of approaches to implementing task sharing—engaging non-specialist providers—to deliver mental health care. Recent Findings There is s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current psychiatry reports 2019-06, Vol.21 (6), p.44-44, Article 44
Main Authors: Raviola, Giuseppe, Naslund, John A., Smith, Stephanie L., Patel, Vikram
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Community Health Workers
Health Personnel - psychology
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - psychology
Mental Disorders - therapy
Mental Health
Mental Health Services - organization & administration
Patient Care Team
Psychiatry
Psychotherapy
Public Policy and Public Health (G Norquist
Section Editor
Topical Collection on Public Policy and Public Health
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Summary:Purpose of Review Most people do not have access to adequate mental health care, and lack of skilled human resources is a major factor. We provide a narrative review of approaches to implementing task sharing—engaging non-specialist providers—to deliver mental health care. Recent Findings There is strong evidence both for the effectiveness of task sharing as a means of delivering care for a range of conditions across settings and for the effectiveness of non-specialist providers and health workers in delivering elements of culturally adapted psychosocial and psychological interventions for common and severe mental disorders. Key approaches to facilitate task sharing of care include balanced care, collaborative care, sustained training and supervision, use of trans-diagnostic interventions based on a dimensional approach to wellness and illness, and the use of emerging digital technologies. Summary Non-specialist providers and health workers are well positioned to deliver evidence-based interventions for mental disorders, and a variety of delivery approaches can support, facilitate, and sustain this innovation. These approaches should be used, and evaluated, to increase access to mental health services.
ISSN:1523-3812
1535-1645
DOI:10.1007/s11920-019-1028-x