Evidence from Darjeeling to support “Education as Mental Health Therapy” (Ed-MH) as an emerging therapy modality

Objective Community-Initiated Care (CIC) leverages existing community roles to support mental health, such as teachers supporting youth within their natural environments (e.g., schools). One such model, “Education as mental health therapy” (Ed-MH), first emerged when 19 teachers in a 2018 pilot study in Darjeeling, India were given a choice within protocol to deliver care via traditional 1-on-1 sessions, micro-doses fitted into teacher workflows, or some combination; of the 536 techniques teachers chose in 2018, 80% fit into their teaching workflow, supporting the potential emergence of Ed-MH as a novel CIC modality only teachers could deliver. Methods Using post-hoc qualitative content analysis, we explored in a 2019 pilot study in Darjeeling whether new teachers’ choices ( n = 9) across their care for children ( n = 17) similarly supported Ed-MH’s potential emergence. Results Of the 154 techniques used, 82% fit into their teaching duties, consistent with 2018 findings. Conclusion With 2019 findings supporting Ed-MH as a novel modality uniquely deliverable by teachers, illustrating a practical CIC approach, this model addresses social/environmental factors impacting child well-being, potentially offering an alternative to traditional treatment paradigms.