Community Action Package in Iran's Comprehensive Mental and Social Health Services (the SERAJ Program)

Abstract

Objective: The social component of health plays a significant role in improving the mental health of the people of a district. A national program on providing comprehensive social and mental health services, entitled “SERAJ”, was developed and piloted in three districts of Iran. The present study aims to determine its model for improving the indicators of the social component of mental health.

Method: This study is a system design for which a literature review, interviews with experts, and focused group discussions with stakeholders were used.

Results: Community action in promoting the mental health of the districts has three main components: strengthening intersectoral collaboration through the memorandum of understandings (MoU), increasing people's participation by establishing People’s Participation House (PPH) with the presence of the representative of current People’s network, and social protection of people suffering from mental disorders by establishing the Social Support Unit (SSU) for self-reliance activity. All three components are controlled by the governor and with supervision and technical consult of the health network of the district and stakeholder participation

Conclusion: The model uses the inner capacities of the city instead of creating new structures. The prerequisites for the effective function of the main three components are educating departments, educating members of the PPH, and hiring a social worker at the SSU. The effective measures taken by the departments to reduce the risk factors for mental disorders are dependent on the technical and financial support of relevant organizations at the provincial and national levels.