Researchers at The New School and George Washington University are launching a five-year research study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, to test the value of Problem Management Plus (PM+) in promoting the mental health of New Yorkers from communities hard-hit by COVID-19. This project will train trusted staff in community-based settings to deliver PM+, with the goal of reducing barriers to mental healthcare. The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health is supporting this project by identifying promising organizations to join the study.What is PM+?
Developed by the World Health Organization, PM+ is an innovative toolkit to manage adversity and increase emotional wellbeing through a user-friendly and adaptable technique that anyone can learn, without requiring a degree or a certain professional background. Trusted community members can be trained to give support to people feeling distress over 5-sessions.
What are the goals of the study? This study will include launching a randomized controlled trial that tests the viability of bringing PM+ to New York City to help people facing systemic barriers to mental healthcare. The study also seeks to create evidence on the effectiveness of non-traditional approaches to delivering mental health services in under-served communities. Staff from community organizations will be trained to offer PM+ and later, their delivery of PM+ to New Yorkers in need will be analyzed against a control group of organizations where PM+ is not offered.