The Nigerian Mental Health Practitioners USA, Inc. is dedicated to the development of behavioral and mental health care in Nigeria. To do this, it must consider the diverse cultural, social, and even economic factors that account for the limited availability, access, and use of mental health services in Nigeria.
These factors include lack of public education and the consequent social stigma often attached to mental illness in Nigeria. In addition, these factors are complicated by the absence of relevant infrastructure, including trained personnel and enabling public policies and laws.
Our Programs
Program development is an ongoing process in the Nigerian Mental Health Practitioners USA Inc. Currently, we have two main programs (services) in place:
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Train-the-Trainer Program
This program is designed to:
- Increase behavioral and mental health awareness, impact, knowledge, and skills needed to combat the stigma associated with mental illness in Nigeria.
- Train other individuals, groups, and organizations, including civic and religious leaders, both in the provision of services to the mentally ill and in advocating for the need to further developmental and behavioral health.
The program mobilizes medical doctors, allied health workers, teachers, community leaders, religious leaders, and nonprofit organizations in Nigeria to help in the above efforts. There is a need to involve people in different walks of life to raise awareness about reforms that need to be made and programs that need to be put in place for the development of behavioral and mental health care in Nigeria.
The program is based on the premise that to be a healthy individual is to care for both the physical and mental health needs of an individual. As it is now in Nigeria, the mental health care piece is missing. This is due to lack of awareness, stigma associated with mental illness and, more importantly, the lack of trained personnel.
With the above in mind, the NMHPUSA Inc. is embarking on the Train-the-Trainer program to increase mental health awareness, provide trainees with the skill set to recognize mental health problems, engage the individuals and families affected in a respectful and in a culturally competent manner. The trainees will also be taught to integrate the acquired skills in their work.
Dr. Francisca Okolo Mgbodile, a university professor and practicing psychiatrist oversees this program.
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Mental Health Practice and Biennial Nigerian Mental Health Lectures
This Nigerian Mental Health Lecture series complements the Train-the-Trainers program, to the extent that both create awareness of the poor state of mental health care in Nigeria. The Lecture series brings together the best brains in mental health care in Nigeria and abroad with public officials, policymakers, consumer advocates, the press and more, to focus attention on a pre-selected important area of mental health care.
The lecture series is coordinated by Dr. Ekele Alphonsus Ngwadom, a psychotherapist and university professor.
Who We Serve
The primary population that the Nigerian Mental Health Practitioners USA, Inc., serves are the people of Nigeria. The organization is devoted to assisting federal and state governments and non-governmental organizations in Nigeria with the development of mental health care in that country.
The organization also serves the needs of its members in the United States, regarding professional growth. The US-based NMHPUSA seeks to raise money and other resources in the United States and invests it in the development of mental health care in Nigeria.
The Institute of Mental Health in Nigeria
The NMHPUSA, Inc. is in the process of establishing a mental health institute in Nigeria. To be located at a university in the southeastern part of Nigeria, this institute would be the hub/home for the work of the Nigerian Mental Health Practitioners USA Inc. (NMHPUSA) in Nigeria. All the operations of the NMHPUSA in Nigeria are to emanate from this institute. The institute will engage in developing programs of education, research, and other activities for the development of mental healthcare in Nigeria. It is expected that the proposed institute of mental health will be registered/incorporated in Nigeria, as a legal entity. The Institute of Mental Health will offer educational and enlightenment programs, including certificate or degree programs, as part of its role in the development of mental health workforce/manpower in Nigeria. The NMHPUSA, in collaboration with the host university, is to design curricula for these programs to assure accreditation by relevant bodies in Nigeria.
Talk to Us
If you have any questions about our programs or are interested in supporting what we do, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at +1-856-906-6167 and find out how you can help make a difference in mental health in Nigeria.