05/08/2026
Project Pathway to Hope presented key findings from its first evaluation cycle at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture (SSPC).
We exceeded most recruitment and participation targets. We reached:
1. 47 participants through “Chiya Talk” community discussions
2. More than 216,000 social media views across 58 posts
3. 148 individuals trained in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer)
4. 61 individuals trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
5. Around 140 local service providers through cultural competency trainings
6. 10 high-need community members through case management services
The evaluation found that the program was very well received overall and strongly recommended expanding staffing, funding, partnerships, culturally adapted materials, Nepali-language access, refresher trainings, and long-term engagement efforts to sustain and deepen impact.
These findings were highlighted in our presentation, “Culture, Stigma, and Su***de Prevention in the Bhutanese Community,” which was featured as part of the symposium “We Are All Under the Same Roof: Ethnic-Nepali Bhutanese Mental Health,” moderated by Rochelle Frounfelker, ScD, MPH, MSSW, of Lehigh University.
The symposium also included presentations on the psycho-wellbeing and social support of aging Bhutanese individuals, as well as alcohol and substance misuse among first-generation Ethnic-Nepali Bhutanese youth and young adults with refugee life experiences.
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the presentation, please email [email protected]
