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Main Activities: The fellowship officially commenced with the signing of an agreement, formalizing commitments and outlining the scope of activities. An inception meeting was held with fellows and the Program Director of the Global Fellowship of Child and Mind Institute, providing a platform to share insights on the fellowship’s objectives and expected outcomes. The research protocol was then submitted for ethical approval, and feedback from the ethics review board necessitated revisions. These revisions were made and resubmitted, and ethical approval was subsequently granted. A research permit was sought from the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI), a legal requirement for conducting research in Kenya. The protocol is currently awaiting approval of the permit before proceeding with community entry approvals. The challenge that we faced was the delayed signing of the agreement, which took longer than anticipated. Although the agreement was finalized in December, this was during the festive season when many institutional operations were on break. This caused another one-month delay in submitting the protocol for ethical review. In addition, the process of obtaining ethical approval and the NACOSTI research permit alone took approximately three months, which was longer than expected. As a result, the planned timeline for obtaining community entry approvals has also been pushed back. These delays were unforeseen. To ensure the project remains on track despite these delays, we have proceeded with preparatory activities that do not require prior approvals, such as drafting interview guides and identifying potential Community Advisory Board (CAB) members. Formal engagement with the CAB will begin once all necessary approvals have been secured. Additional Activities: Beyond the core fellowship project activities, attendance at a mental health-related conferences/workshops in November 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya (i.e. Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries 2024 Symposium and Shamiri summit whose focus was on addressing how hope, resilience, and optimism, can empower individuals and communities, particularly the youth in Kenya, to navigate and overcome contemporary challenges) provided valuable insights into current research and interventions in the field. Additionally, participation in other research projects within the Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health (AFRIMEB) has provided exposure to different methodologies and approaches relevant to mental health research. As a result, and a deliverable related to my research project, I have been part of a manuscript submitted to Lancet Psychiatry (3rd author) on “Programmes for people who are homeless and have severe mental illness in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review”. Additional Thoughts (optional): |
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Attached Budget File:
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xlsx file Budget to Date: USD 28,443 Budget Reflection: Personnel cost Research fellow: This includes 50% research effort salary for the Research Fellow for the period November 2024 to March 2025. Equipment and Supplies Desktop: This includes purchase of a desktop and CPU Tower. Communication and internet costs: This includes communication/internet cost for the period November 2024 to March 2025 Consumables: This includes printing papers and toners for the existing printer to print protocols for submission to ethics and project related reading materials. Other expenses Project approvals: Maseno University Ethics Review Committee approval and research permit from the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). This cost also includes courier charges for sending the proposal to Maseno University for ethical review. Project Officer: This includes salary for the Project officer for the period November 2024 to March 2025. |
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Thoughts on Fellowship: I consider this fellowship a game changer in my academic career path and particularly in rejuvenating my interests in the field of child and adolescent mental health. It has provided various opportunities such as during the Shamiri Summit in November, 2024 where I was invited to share my experience - challenges and successes in seeking funding for community-focused mental health research in sub-Saharan Africa. I also appreciate the constant communication and updates from the Program Director of the Global Fellowship of Child and Mind Institute who is keen on sharing training and conference opportunities for my growth. I look forward to a rewarding 5-year academic journey as I encourage the next generation of scholars to be part of this unique fellowship i.e. I am already in communication with an applicant of the 2025 SNF Global Center Research Fellowship to share my experience of applying and receiving this award. Additional Comments: |
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Main Activities: The project aims to reduce the burden of anxiety and depression in adolescents through innovations in delivery of evidence-based youth mental health interventions. For this reporting period, the following objectives were prioritized: - Obtain IRB and regulatory approvals. - Establish a Project Steering Committee. - Develop a project website - Develop and engage team to start developing training application. During this reporting period (Formative phase (1-6 months), significant progress was made in laying the foundational elements for the project. A project team with relevant expertise has been assembled. It includes relevant personnel for the development and implementation of the training app. These individuals have been trained in the WHO’s Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) program and possess the necessary knowledge and skills to provide contextually grounded input into the design of the training app. Their training ensures they are equipped to inform the app’s development from an end-user perspective, particularly regarding usability, content clarity, and local adaptation. A project steering committee has been established for governance of the project. It includes the project lead, public mental health experts, psychologists with relevant experience, multimedia and digital technology experts. IRB application for the formative phase has been submitted. The project team has started to design the content and structure of training program aimed at training non-specialist to deliver quality mental health program to reduce adolescent anxiety and depression. A separate ethics application for the trial phase will be submitted at a later stage. The school education department and University approvals have been secured to implement the training program for child and adolescents’ mental health and train and certify non-specialists in the delivery of evidence-based interventions. Partnerships with the district school and health departments are being actively developed to ensure all necessary regulatory clearances and stakeholder engagement processes are in place before the commencement of field activities. EASE Program has been accredited as a 6-Month Certificate Course for non-specialists by Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University: In preparation for the development of the technology-assisted training program and offer the training to the health professionals and non-specialists, the EASE program has received formal approval from the Academic Council of Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University as a “Certificate Course in WHO Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE)- A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) low intensity psychological intervention to treat common mental problems in adolescents in community settings” .Individuals who successfully complete the course and demonstrate the required level of competency will be awarded a certificate accredited by Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University. The content and delivery of this University program shall be digitalized as part of this program. Recognizing concerns regarding the fidelity and competency of non-specialist delivery, we will embed the EQUIP (Ensuring Quality in Psychological Support) platform, jointly hosted by WHO & UNICEF) within the app. This open-source tool allows for standardized assessment of competencies and supports supervisors with real-time monitoring through its integrated dashboard. The EQUIP framework ensures quality assurance by tracking non-specialists’ performance and progress throughout the training process, thereby addressing critical concerns related to implementation quality. Website development: Under the umbrella of the PI-led SMART-STEP program-which aims to develop, implement and evaluate a holistic model of service delivery for child and adolescents mental health in low resource settings,-a dedicated website has been developed (https://smartstep.pk/). This site will also host the training program for non-specialists to receive training in technology-assisted EASE program and will serve as a central hub/brand for disseminating information related to capacity-building activities for CAMH. The infrastructure, research momentum, and visibility of this platform provide a strong foundation and a supportive environment for the current fellowship. Social media handles are being created along with developing a social media strategy: https://www.instagram.com/gihdsmartstep/ https://www.facebook.com/GIHDSmartStep The usability of the prototype(s): A prototype version of the EASE training app has been developed, with initial visual frames created to support the digital delivery of training modules to non-specialists. Another significant milestone is the nomination of the Principal Investigator (PI) as a member of the National Subcommittee on Adolescent Mental Health under the Government of Pakistan - a key step that strengthens the project’s alignment with national policy efforts and enhances opportunities for sustained policy engagement. Additionally, the PI is leading status paper on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) mapping for eight South Asian countries. This is an invaluable opportunity to take the lessons from this project and apply them at a regional level, helping to build stronger collaboration across South Asia and shape policies and practices around adolescent mental health. During the next reporting period, the focus will be on finalizing the narrative scripts, graphic images, and voiceovers for the training application; adapting and pilot testing the technology application using Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles, followed by a pre-post feasibility evaluation of the final prototype with 10 school counsellors to assess its feasibility and guide further refinement and finalization. Additional Activities: 1. During this reporting period, the Principal Investigator (PI) participated in the 2nd Conference of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI), held on February 27th at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The conference brought together experts, educators, caregivers, and youth to discuss the progress and future directions in addressing child and adolescent mental health challenges globally. Key discussions focused on mental health infrastructure, literacy in schools, early detection, caregiver support, and child protection, with a keynote panel featuring leaders from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Child Mind Institute, and the Ministry of Health. 2. Dr. Syed Usman Hamdani presented in the session on “Data-Driven Strategies to Improve Access to Mental Health Services in Under-Resourced Settings” at the conference. The event also showcased initiatives such as the Youth Engagement Scheme (YES), which emphasizes the importance of integrating youth voices in mental health solutions. Participation in this conference provided an invaluable opportunity to engage with international leaders and share insights that will inform the ongoing work in adolescent mental health. 3. During this reporting period, the Principal Investigator (PI) led a National Consultation meeting on scaling up adolescent mental health program in Pakistan. The event gathered a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from experts from World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF Health, Child Protection, and Education Departments, the UNICEF Regional Consultant, UNICEF Punjab, and the District Education Officer. Psychiatrists and psychologists, General Practitioners and academics from universities from across all provinces and regions of Pakistan also participated in the event. The discussions centered around the use of technology to train non-specialists in delivering adolescent mental health interventions at scale. Key insights emerged on how we can scale such trainings at the national level while ensuring its long-term sustainability. These conversations have laid the foundation for future collaborations and strategies for integrating adolescent mental health into broader health and education systems in Pakistan Additional Thoughts (optional): As the project progresses, ensuring the scalability and sustainability of the training program remains a key focus. Development of a business model, continuous collaboration with stakeholders, including education and health authorities, will be essential for integrating the technology-based training application into existing systems at scale and sustainably. The potential for regional expansion of this initiative in the South Asia also presents an opportunity to address adolescent mental health needs across diverse contexts. Moving forward, business model development, branding, further policy alignment and adaptive implementation based on stakeholder feedback will be crucial for achieving long-term impact. |
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Attached Budget File:
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pdf file Budget to Date: 40363 Budget Reflection: During the first six months of the Research Fellowship, the project expenses are as per the planned budget. We have expensed 40,363 out of the total budget of 553,579. A narrative justification according to each cost head is included in the attached file. |
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Thoughts on Fellowship: The fellowship has been a valuable opportunity to collaborate with experts across various sectors and to influence policy discussions at the national, regional and global levels. One key takeaway has been the importance of aligning research efforts with local contexts to ensure the sustainability of interventions. While there have been challenges, particularly in coordinating multiple stakeholders and navigating regulatory processes, these experiences have strengthened my problem-solving and leadership skills. Overall, the fellowship has been a significant step in advancing both my personal growth by providing global networking opportunities. Additional Comments: I continue to be deeply committed to advancing adolescent mental health through this research fellowship. The opportunity to collaborate with experts and stakeholders has been instrumental in refining our approach, and I am excited about the potential impact this work can have at both local and regional levels. Moving forward, I am focused on ensuring the sustainability and scalability of the training application while actively contributing to policy discussions that will shape mental health services for youth particularly in low resource settings globally. Moreover, I plan to enrol in the visiting Professor lecture series and explore joint research opportunities with the CMI faculty to further strengthen the collaboration and scale up the impact. |