Our impact

The impact of our social and health science research can be seen in communities, organisations, and government policy here in the UK and globally. The variety of this impact reflects our multi-disciplinary work and our commitment to influencing policy and practice to improve outcomes for all.

Contact us

hspr@kcl.ac.uk

David Goldberg Centre, 18 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF

Expanding access to mental health care in under-served populations

In collaboration with colleagues in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa and Nigeria, the Centre for Global Mental Health has worked to expand access to mental health care, demonstrating how to implement care (PRIME), providing evidence to support access to care (EMERALD), and demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of task-shared care (AFFIRM-TaSCS). This research informs national mental health strategies and underpins WHO guidance to support primary health care workers to deliver mental health care worldwide.

The Friendship Bench

The Friendship Bench community mental health initiative has provided treatment to over 260,000 people in Zimbabwe since 2016. It has been implemented in five low- and middle-income countries, and is being tested in New York City and London. Its effectiveness has led to changes in national and international policy and guidelines, and it has been cited as a case study of good practice in the WHO World Mental Health Report.

Visit the Friendship Bench website

PROTECT – Provider Responses, Treatment, and Care for Trafficked People

The PROTECT programme has pioneered research into human trafficking and mental health in the UK. Through PROTECT, researchers helped address the gap in research on human trafficking and mental health, through informing UK policy and NHS guidance on supporting victims. Researchers have increased awareness of the mental health impact of human trafficking through public engagement initiatives such as a collaboration with Syrian artist, Sara Shamma, in a 2020 exhibition titled "Sara Shamma: Modern Slavery".

Ending stigma and discrimination in mental health

The Centre for Global Mental Health have worked with over 40 countries to better understand and strengthen the evidence on what works to stop mental health related stigma and discrimination, establishing the Indigo Network, co-chairing the 2022 Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health and creating stigma-related scales translated into 20+ languages.