As Vietnam continues navigating post-pandemic recovery and rapid social changes, mental health has become an increasingly urgent issue. Yet up to 90% of people experiencing mental health conditions still do not receive appropriate care. The barriers are even higher for vulnerable groups, who often face heavy stigma and limited access to timely support.

Against this backdrop, SCDI introduced the DREAMH project at Community Meeting 2025. DREAMH aims to improve early detection, counseling, and linkage to specialized mental health services through a community-rooted approach. The project builds on SCDI’s long-standing experience working with marginalized populations and responds to clear gaps in accessible, people-centered mental health support.

Photo: Dr. Le Cong Luong, Deputy Secretary General and Head of the Department of Science and International Cooperation at VUSTA, speaking at the project launch.

Photo: Mrs. Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, MD., MSc., SCDI's Executive Director, delivering opening remarks at the project launch.

Photo: The launch event gathered representatives from government agencies, organizations, psychiatric hospitals, universities, and community members from multiple provinces across the country.

A central component of DREAMH is the Quick Screening Tool (QST), developed by SCDI in collaboration with mental health experts in Vietnam and France. The tool helps community workers quickly identify signs of anxiety, depression, and trauma so individuals can seek support sooner. Preliminary validation results presented at the event highlighted the tool’s potential to enhance early detection in settings where specialized services are limited.

During the session, Ms. Le Sao Mai, MD., MSc., Psychiatrist and Lecturer at Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, provided an overview of mental health in Vietnam and presented early validation findings for QST. Dr. Laurent Michel, Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Pierre Nicole Center, shared insights on the collaborative development process and the importance of accessible tools for frontline workers.

Photo: Ms. Le Sao Mai, MD., MSc., Psychiatrist and Lecturer at Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, presenting an overview of mental health in Vietnam and preliminary findings from validating the Quick Screening Tool (QST)

Photo: Dr. Laurent Michel, Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Pierre Nicole Center (France), delivered an online presentation on the development and validation of the Quick Screening Tool

SCDI's Program Manager for Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment, Ms. Nguyen Minh Trang, introduced the DREAMH project’s roadmap and engaged community partners in planning next steps. Their inputs will guide how the project is adapted to diverse local contexts, ensuring that communities can lead and sustain people-centered mental health care.

Photo: Ms. Nguyen Minh Trang, Program Manager for Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment at SCDI, introducing the DREAMH project and discussing planning with community partners

Photos: Partners and community members actively joined the discussion on the project implementation plan

DREAMH marks an important next step in SCDI’s commitment to strengthening community-driven solutions. With stronger screening, counseling support, and connections to care, the project aims to close long-standing gaps and bring mental health services closer to those who need them most.