On the morning of Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the hall of Tung Nghia Parish, Duc Trong District, Caritas Dalat organized a program to introduce the Screening Program – Community-Based Mental Health Care Model in Depression Management for Tung Nghia Parish and the Association of Persons with Disabilities in Duc Trong District.
The program welcomed 47 participants, including the Director of Caritas Dalat, the Parish Priest and Assistant Priest of Tung Nghia Parish, Sisters of the Dominican Order, Parish Council members, representatives of parish organizations and movements, the Executive Committee of the Association of Persons with Disabilities in Duc Trong District, representatives of community groups across Duc Trong District, as well as Caritas Dalat staff and collaborators.
The depression screening program and community-based mental health care model have been adopted by Caritas Dalat through knowledge and technical transfer from its partner, BasicNeeds Vietnam—a reputable organization recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health for its contributions to developing guidelines for the management of depression, anxiety, epilepsy, and schizophrenia in community settings.
This introductory event served as a community communication initiative by Caritas Dalat, aiming to raise awareness about depression and effective community-based intervention approaches. It also marked the official selection of Tung Nghia Parish and the Association of Persons with Disabilities in Duc Trong District as the first pilot sites for the implementation of the screening program and depression management model in the community.
The program took place in a friendly and engaging atmosphere. Participants shared personal experiences, gave positive feedback, and expressed consensus and commitment to cooperate in implementing the program effectively, with the common goal of improving mental health, especially for vulnerable individuals in the community.