Ignacio, Lourdes L., Tronco Anselmo: “, Transforming Lives, Mental Health Care of the Community” published by WAPR Phil in cooperation with the Philippine Psychiatric Association 2014

This publication is a revision of the book earlier published by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Office, which served as reference material to the training of existing health workers as part of the project in the Philippines as part of the pioneering 7-nation WHO Collaborative Study for Strategies for Extending MH Care in General Health Care, 1978-81. The study provided the evidence that it is feasible to provide mental health at the general (primary) level of health care in the community by training existing health workers.

This present revision expanded the reach of training and capacity building in mental health for existing general health care workers in communities affected by disasters that has ravaged many areas of the Philippines. This training and capacity building of existing health workers in these disaster areas has opened the “doors” for the development of the much-needed mental health service at the primary health care level and reach those unreached for this type of care.