Discussion Group with Community Health Workers for YCMAP Implementation through Task Shifting Approach

A discussion group was conducted with experienced community health workers (5 females and 3 males) to explore their views on the provision of suicide prevention intervention to youth by community health workers, potential barriers, mitigation strategies and training needs of CHWs. All CHWs appreciated the idea of using task shifting approach to deliver intervention at door step that not only improve their capacities but also helpful in improving access to care and in reducing stigma. Number of factors that highlighted by CHW as helpful and important in facilitating the process of delivering intervention in community setting are 1) keep parents onboard throughout the project, 2) arrange seminars or zero sessions with in community setting to arise awareness about the project to get more potential participants 3) develop brief booklet that can be used by both CHW and adolescent as a guide to understand the content of the intervention and takehome message. For CHWs training in YCMAP, they suggested initially keep 3 days extensive training program to make them familiarize with the intervention and then weekly as it would be difficult for CHW to attend training on a daily basis.