Dalhousie departments, schools and faculties are involved with global health projects around the world. The reach of these initiatives and the network of partnerships formed along the way reflects the deep rooted passion for global health found at Dalhousie.  As the Global Health Office, we work at every level to enhance and promote these efforts.  One such collaboration is our work with the Department of Psychiatry and their Global Psychiatry group who foster partnerships for healthier minds across the globe. Two of these partnerships were recently featured in September’s issue of Headlines, the Department of Psychiatry’s newsletter. The first, is with Trinidad, and the second, while in Canada, is an example of a local global health initiative.

Training in Trinidad

Recently, Global Psychiatry began training in Prevention and Management of Aggression and Violence in Trinidad. Similar training was being provided in Tobago when the Ministry of Health Mental Health Planning Unit in Trinidad approached Global Psychiatry with the request. The project has grown since its inception and now includes training for staff in ministries outside the direct realm of mental health, including, Education, People and Social Development, Justice, Emergency Response, and Maintenance and Training Services. This growth was largely spurred from the drive of Ms. Trudy Rouse who saw a need for cross-government agency training. The next phase of the project will involve delivering a train-the trainer model to 10 of the participants, scheduled for September and November.

Update from NWT

Within Canadian borders, we find Global Psychiatry’s Dr. Arlene MacDougall, who was the 2013 recipient of our Dr. Jock Murray Global Health Award for Resident Leadership, and Dr. Bianca Horner who is well established in global health. With the support of a variety of stakeholders, they facilitated the development of an integrated collaborative step care model for mental health in primary care in the Northwest Territories. This collaboration included senior leaders, service providers, researchers and the Government. They are now working with these stakeholders to help oversee the establishment and evaluation of a pilot site in Yellowknife. The longer-term vision is to eventually adapt and expand the model to smaller communities across the territories.

Please see the September issue of Headlines for more details on these stories and more!

The network of reciprocal relationships, with the intent of benefitting our partners, truly enriches the learning experience of students and faculty members at Dalhousie. With the new academic year ahead, take the opportunity to get involved in global health. The Global Health Office is a great place to start. Check out our website at http://gho.medicine.dal.ca