Urban Mental Health Service: Primary Health Care Model with Community Participation

The aim of the present study was to assess the degree of efficiency of mental health education for non-psychiatrist medical specialists in attracting public cooperation and the provision of mental health in the form of an urban cooperative model. The residents of districts 11، 16، and 18 in municipality area 6 of Tehran were considered as the covered community. 20 volunteers (as mental health contact)، three individuals with master degree in clinical psychology or consultation، three psychiatrists، and 15 non-psychiatrist specialists (all from municipality area 6) comprised the subjects of the present study and voluntarily participated in this research. Data were gathered using quantitative (demographic questionnaires، specialists’ survey، and mental health contact survey) as well as qualitative (registering observations and experiences) methods. Data analysis was done via SPSS-15 and using dependent t-test. The findings revealed that the scores of the volunteers and specialists changed from pretest to post-test (p≥0. 002). Also، urban mental health contacts identified the districts’ patients subsequent to the training، and referred them to consultation centers، medical specialists، and district hospitals. Teaching mental health concepts to volunteers and medical professionals and involving them in a cooperative fashion in districts can be an efficient method of providing primary mental health services in large cities.