Enhancing Quality Supervision for the Delivery of Mental Health Care Through Nonspecialist Clinicians in Resource-Limited Settings

Abstract

Supervision of nonspecialist clinicians by trained mental health professionals is integral to developing capacity for providing mental health care in low-resource settings. Current supervision efforts in low-resource settings, however, are often variable in quality. Scant published literature addresses how supervision practices affect treatment outcomes; only a few studies have been published on evidence-based supervision methods. Additionally, in low-resource settings many systems-level obstacles exist in providing adequate mental health supervision to nonspecialist clinicians. This article seeks to address psychiatrists' role in providing supervision and promoting quality of care in low-resource settings. We review the literature on evidence-based supervision practices, address obstacles and current practices of providing high-quality mental health supervision in low-resource settings, and weave this knowledge with our experiences learning from the clinicians at Partners in Health in Haiti. We also discuss feasible strategies and provide recommendations for strengthening the supervision process in resource-limited settings.