Jumla Mental Health Project

Jumla Mental Health Project was started by TPO Nepal in 2013 with the aim of providing evidence-based, high quality, culturally appropriate mental health services to the residents in Jumla. Over the years, the different activities of this project have been supported by Duke Global Health Institute, HopeLab Foundation and Jacobs Foundation. Currently HeartMind International (HMI), a US based non-profit organization and The George Washington University is supporting this project.

This project is also working in close collaboration with District Health Office (DHO), Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS), Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs), sub-health posts and different schools of Jumla District. The major activities include clinical services (counseling and therapy), family and community-based counseling, community-based activities, radio program, school mental health program and research on mental health and psychosocial issues.

The project has its counseling service at its field office and at the outpatient department (OPD) of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS). TPO Jumla has been providing mental health service through these two different outreach centers as well as through home visits, school counseling and counseling at the One Step Crisis Management Center (OCMC).

The project also runs a weekly mental health radio program called “manko shanti” at the local radio station in Jumla – Radio Karnali 105.2 Mhz.

Different research activities have also been conducted and are ongoing in Jumla. Studies on the development of an intervention for men’s mental health in rural Nepal, the impact of climate change on women’s mental health in Jumla, and adaptation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for suicide prevention, studies on suicide surveillance and a third wave of an epidemiological study on effect of conflict on mental health of people of Jumla (previously conducted in 2000 and 2007) have been conducted.