We’re Building the World’s Mental Health Workforce

Get Involved

Project EMPOWER completes evidence-based psychological treatment pilot training in India

Our Mission

To empower anyone, anywhere, to master the delivery of evidence-based psychological treatments and behavioral interventions.

Programs

Brief psychological therapies are effective for the prevention and care of a range of common mental health and substance use problems. Our programs enable frontline health workers and ordinary members of the community to learn to deliver them with sustained quality.

View All Programs

Programs

Foundational Skills

Community Initiated Care

Healthy Activity Program

Problem-Solving Program

Parenting Interventions

0+

Frontline workers trained

With our partners, we’re working to reduce the global burden of mental health suffering.

View Impact

Hear from the empowered so far

“I did not know much about depression previously. The information provided on maintaining confidentiality during counselling, empathizing or how to talk with the patients is something I enjoyed learning in the course. I am trying to utilize these skills in my day to day work. I feel that other frontline health workers should do this course so that they can learn about mental health and help the people in the community.”

“I work as an ASHA Supervisor with Shyampur CHC. The course on Healthy Activity Program was good. But what I liked most about the course was how to identify patients with depression and how to counsel a patient in our community. Prior to the course, I did not know much about this subject, or how to talk to a patient suffering from tension or depression. Now, I feel that after gaining an understanding of the subject through the course, I can save lives of people suffering from depression in my community.”

“I did not know much about depression previously. The information provided on maintaining confidentiality during counselling, empathizing or how to talk with the patients is something I enjoyed learning in the course. I am trying to utilize these skills in my day to day work. I feel that other frontline health workers should do this course so that they can learn about mental health and help the people in the community.”

“None of us community health workers are provided training on mental health so learning this course was really good. I feel all community health workers should have access to this course since it would help them gain insight about mental health and they will be able to help people suffering, their neighbors, and the community."

Bhuriya Dangi Community Health Worker

Varsha Gor Community Health Worker

Santoshi Bairagi Community Health Worker

Sunita Vanshkar Community Health Worker

EMPOWER in the Media

Vikram Patel: Fresh Ways of Delivering Mental Health Care

Vikram Patel's conversation with Gary Humphreys about developing evidence-based approaches to collaborative mental health service provision.

Talking therapy: ASHA workers oﬀer hope in rural Madhya Pradesh

The psychosocial intervention designed by Sangath has the potential to change the way mental health is approached in low-resource areas.

Dr. Patel Elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Dr. Vikram Patel, Lab Director, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Empower Cited in WHO!

In the World Mental Health Report , WHO has cited EMPOWER as one of the most promising digital trainings to build the world mental health’s workforce

Manton Foundation Mentioned on HMS

Harvard Medical School

Dr. Patel is quoted in Forbes

"Twice as many young people in the U.S. died of suicide than of Covid. Three-quarters of Covid deaths struck people over 65. But suicide has become the leading cause of death for young people in over 100 countries – including India," says Dr. Vikram Patel, the Professor of Global Health at Harvard.