Bhopal hub started operations in Madhya Pradesh in 2011 with a memorandum of understating with the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) for the PRIME project (PRogramme for Improving Mental Health CarE). Under the PRIME project, the hub, in collaboration with the district mental health programme (DMHP) of the National Health Mission (NHM), integrated mental healthcare into primary care setting in the Sehore district by developing and implementing a mental health care plan (MHCP). The positive results of the PRIME project led to the hub supporting NHM MP in scaling up the PRIME mental health service model under the name “MannKaksh”(Mental Health Cells), in all 51 districts of the state covering a population of 75 million. This was called the SOHAM initiative (Scaling up Opportunities for Healthy and Active Minds).

Extending the work in Sehore district, since 2017, the hub is carrying out an implementation research project (ESSENCE) to assess the comparative effectiveness of technology-enabled interventions to train non-specialist health workers in delivering Healthy Activity Programme (HAP-a brief evidence-based intervention for depression); and provide implementation support to health care providers of primary health centers to address the key barriers to the coordinated delivery of evidence-based clinical treatments for depression (Antidepressant Therapy) at the primary health centers. Under this initiative, the hub has adapted, contextualized and developed a digital training intervention on HAP to build the capacity of the non-specialist health workers (NSHWs) to deliver depression care in the community. This digital training intervention is now being expanded to other parts of the country.

Over the last few years, work in the Bhopal hub has expanded significantly. In addition to extending our work in common mental disorders, the hub started working with other state governments for training the frontline health workers in Gujarat (EMPOWER projects), severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, through research and capacity building initiatives (SHARP, SARATHA). The hub has also started working with marginalised populations such as the trans community (TransCare projects) and is in the process of developing digital courses for the capacity building of early-career health researchers (DRISHTi). In addition, the hub is constantly exploring other domains to share its resources, expertise and contribute to better health care access and quality care. The hub has a working MoU with the NHSRC, Government of India, the Department of Public Health and Family Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh and with AIIMS, Bhopal.