Reducing Harm in Psychological Interventions and Primary Care Services in Global Mental Health: Development of the World Health Organization-UNICEF EQUIP Platform

Brandon Kohrt, MD, PhD, is a psychiatrist and anthropologist who has worked for 25 years to improve mental health services in countries affected by war and political violence, disasters, and other forms of adversity. He holds the Charles and Sonia Akman Professorship in Global Psychiatry at George Washington University, where he is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Global Health, and Anthropology, and Director of the Center for Global Mental Health Equity. He works regularly with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and humanitarian organizations around the world. Dr. Kohrt is the academic partner lead for the World Health Organization/UnicefEnsuring Quality in Psychosocial and Mental Health Care (EQUIP) initiative to establish competency frameworks and assessments for providers of psychological and other mental health services around the world. EQUIP has been used in more than 40 countries, 1000 trainings, with 6000 trainees, for 15,000 competency assessments. Dr. Kohrt's work also addresses development of mental health assessment tools and trials for reducing stigma in healthcare settings to improve the quality of mental health services. Dr. Kohrt was Commissioner for the Time for united action on depression: a Lancet-World Psychiatric Association Commission and the The Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health.