Mental Health is an under-represented medical sector in the Lao PDR. The MOH indicated the need for ongoing updates of global mental health resources for policy makers, medical leaders, and medical providers. HLI provided digital Lao mental health curriculum related to trauma to all training attendees in the HLI courses from 2016 to 2020. HLI leaders met in November 2016 and 2017 with MOH, UHS and Basic Needs leaders in to discuss HLI’s goal of helping with mental health curriculum development & training for medical providers.

HLI worked with MOH leaders to promote mental health workforce capacity building, mental health education/data collection and the importance of training medical providers about the mental health needs of UXO survivors and their families.

HLI provided mental health training and digital translated informational material on depression, PTSD, and suicide risk/prevention to District hospital providers and students at the Colleges of Health Sciences to advance the knowledge of mental health needs of UXO survivors in affected Districts.

Mental health surveys were conducted with healthcare providers and trainees in 2016 and 2017 indicated an interest in increasing knowledge in global mental health. The lack of mental health trained manpower in the Lao PDR and funding for Mental Health training creates limits for building capacity.

The mental health videos were completed September 2015 by HLI. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=ThahTpqyugM