Article 1
Culturally-Responsive Mental Health Outreach and Trauma Training in Haiti
Karen M. Roller
Florence Saint-Jean
Juanita Barnett
Elizabeth Farrah Louis
Priscilla John
Abstract
The Global Trauma Research Inc.’s Haiti Trauma Project (HTP) team sought to determine if the Mental Health Facilitator, Abridged (MHF)-ASAP! model of psychological first aid training for lay practitioners is culturally-responsive as well as a recommended model for developing community mental health outreach in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. Through the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), we found that the MHF-ASAP! model was helpful in increasing mental health knowledge while boosting participants’ confidence in using listening and referral skills. Despite this finding, participants in our study requested increased skills development and ongoing support. Future directions include mixed-methods data collection and analysis of trainees’ use of and response to esupervision, as well as community recipient response to lay counseling support.