Piloting and implementing the training intervention

We will introduce the training intervention and discuss how it can be used in day-to-day practice with CHWs, traditional healers, faith healers, and primary care practitioners. In particular, traditional and faith-healers will be trained as key informants who can offer SMI sufferers and their carers the additional option of seeing a CHW. This will be in three phases:

Phase I: Relationship Building

During this phase, we will discuss:

• recognition of the pivotal role of healers within the community and the value of their contributions;
• the challenges of recognising SMIs and providing quality, rights-based care, and;
• the importance to collaborate and work harmoniously for all stakeholders, and most importantly, for people living with SMIs.

Phase II: Review of Proposed Training

This will cover:

• an overview of the proposed plan and training content;
• willingness or reluctance of traditional and faith healers and CHWs to embark on training and ways to overcome any challenges;
• iterative development of training packages based on feedback;
• dealing with stigma of SMIs, misperceptions about biomedical care and healers, financial constraints in accessing care, managing non-adherence with treatment or drop-out from care, supporting households through psychoeducation and dealing with crises;
• helping patients and families navigate the referral pathway, and;
• use of community resources to facilitate recovery, such as self-care, supported employment, activities of daily living.

Phase III: Training

Findings from Phase I and II above, in addition to content generated from WP2, will allow the further refinement of the training package; referral pathway and the support for ongoing care; and the identification of trainers from this group. Following the refinement of the training package, two half-day interactive training workshops will be delivered to traditional practitioners and CHWs with a half-day supervision session every three months. All training materials and delivery will be in the local languages (Bengali in Dhaka, and Yoruba in Ibadan).