DREAMH

Home / News / DREAMH

31/01/2026

Our Projects

DREAMH

General Information

Fullname: Developing a Reinforced Access to Mental Health Care for Key Populations

Donor(s): L'Initiative - Expertise France

Period: 2025 - 2028

Implementing Sites: Ha Noi city, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong city, Nghe An province, Ninh Binh province, Hung Yen province

Implementing Unit: Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment

An estimated nearly 15% of Vietnam’s population lives with at least one common mental disorder [1]. Compared with the general population, people living with or affected by HIV are at significantly higher risk of mental health disorders [2]. Issues such as depression, anxiety, psychological trauma, or substance use-related disorders not only reduce quality of life, but also directly affect the effectiveness of HIV prevention and control interventions. For this reason, mental health care is an essential priority for effective HIV control.

However, access to mental health services in Vietnam remains limited. Low service coverage, a shortage of specialized human resources, and cost-related barriers mean that many people, especially vulnerable groups, are still unable to access services when they need them. As a result, many mental health concerns are not detected early, leading to delayed treatment and long-term impacts on quality of life.

Over the years, through the DRIVE-MIND study and the Saving the Future and Building Up projects, SCDI has implemented community-based mental health interventions for people who use substances, gradually demonstrating the feasibility of this model in supporting early detection and service linkage. However, intervention models specifically designed for people living with and affected by HIV remain limited, while this group’s needs are shaped by multiple factors, including stigma, psychological trauma, and barriers to accessing health services.

The project “Developing a Reinforced Access to Mental Health Care for Key Populations” (DREAMH) was implemented to improve access to and quality of mental health services for this group. DREAMH is one of the first initiatives in Vietnam to integrate mental health care into HIV and harm reduction programs through coordination between community networks and the specialized mental health system. The project builds on lessons learned from previous interventions, while developing a community-based care model with activities such as needs assessment, standardization of screening tools, development of counseling and referral procedures, training for community workers, and strengthened linkages with treatment facilities. Through this, the project aims to build a continuum of services from early detection to specialized treatment.

2025 Key Results

In 2025, the project completed its baseline research and assessment, and conducted mental health screening for 407 clients from target communities to identify support needs within the community. Among them, 21 clients showing signs of mental disorders were urgently referred to specialized services for assessment and treatment.

At the same time, the project continued to develop and validate the Quick Screening Tool (QST) for mental health, now designed for use with different population groups rather than being limited to people who use substances as in previous projects. This tool was implemented alongside the MINI questionnaire and clinical assessment to support early detection of signs of mental disorders, timely counseling, and referral. It was also integrated into the electronic data collection system to standardize procedures, monitor intervention progress, and assess effectiveness over time.

In parallel, the project established collaboration with health facilities, mental health specialists, and community-based organizations in project sites. Technical materials, screening tools, and training plans are also being finalized in preparation for the next phase of implementation.

These initial results show a clear need for mental health care among people living with and affected by HIV. They also affirm the importance of integrating screening and service linkage to support early detection of cases that require care. The approach, which combines mental health expertise with community networks, has also received interest and positive feedback from partners, opening up potential for future scale-up.

In the coming period, the project will continue to maintain and refine the interventions that have been developed, while standardizing procedures and delivering training in project sites. Building on these steps, DREAMH will work toward establishing an effective community-based mental health care model for people living with and affected by HIV, contributing to improved quality of life for communities and supporting the sustainable integration of mental health care into HIV programs.