Finemind

Finemind transforms mental health care in Uganda by integrating stepped care—beginning with simple interventions and escalating as needed—into primary care. Our mission is to embed mental health into routine healthcare services, ensuring that community members receive support alongside physical health care.

Strategic Expansion Beyond Agago

With a successful model in Agago, we are now focusing on expanding into new districts, selecting those with strong leadership, values alignment, and a welcoming attitude towards our approach. Instead of broad coverage, we strategically deploy our model in 10 health facilities per district, allowing us to tailor interventions and build deep, meaningful relationships with each community.

Key Elements of Our Approach

1. Partnerships: Establish collaborations with selected health facilities, forming plans tailored to each location’s needs.

2. Training: Recruit Village Health Team (VHT) members and train health workers as mental health counselors using a stepped care model (IPC, PM+, and referral pathways).

3. Data and Reporting: Train health information assistants for quality data collection and accurate reporting, ensuring insights are shared with the Ministry of Health.

4. Community Engagement: Conduct awareness campaigns, radio talks, and stakeholder meetings to reduce stigma and gather ongoing feedback.

5. Policy Alignment: Maintain active dialogue with the Ministry of Health to ensure alignment with national policies and support advocacy efforts through participation in the MHPSS working group.

Our Vision

Our goal is to create a model that Uganda can scale nationally. By focusing on targeted facilities and learning from each district’s unique challenges, we aim to build a robust case for government adoption of Finemind’s integrated mental health approach.