Advancing mental health equity

A community-based adaptation of problem management plus (PM+) on a mobile health clinic

Bibliographic Data

ID22087675
AuthorsJosephina Lin (0009-0003-0021-4359, Harvard University, corresponding author), Piper Derenoncourt (Harvard University), Rainelle Walker-White (Harvard University), Nancy Oriol (Harvard University), Daniel Palazuelos (0000-0003-3701-0707, Brigham and Women's Hospital), Giuseppe Raviola (0000-0003-3379-0371, Partners In Health), Stephanie Smith (0000-0002-6892-4379, Brigham and Women's Hospital), Stephanie L Smith (0000-0003-2987-6252, Harvard Medical School), Mollie Williams (Harvard University)
Year2026
Volume14
Pages1800509-1800509
Publication date2026-06-19
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2026.1800509
PMID42404959
OpenAlexW7165121651
LanguageEN
References cited31

Mental health inequities persist in underserved communities due to systemic barriers to care. Healthy Roads, a mental wellness support program developed by the mobile clinic The Family Van, adapted the World Health Organization’s Problem Management Plus (PM+) curriculum to address these disparities with support from Partners In Health. PM+ is a brief, evidence-based psychological intervention designed for trained non-specialists to deliver in low-resource settings. This community case study describes the adaptation, implementation, and early lessons learned from delivering PM+ with trained community health workers (CHWs) among racially and linguistically diverse communities in Boston, Massachusetts. Data were collected from 49 participants who engaged in 173 sessions between January 2021 and December 2023. Quantitative outcomes were measured using the Psychological Outcomes Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) tool, alongside qualitative insights from session notes and client feedback. Participants who completed the program experienced a 25.4% reduction in mental health distress 95% CI [13.1, 37.9%], with those attending at least one session experiencing an 11.4% reduction 95% CI [5.8, 17.0%]. This program also demonstrates how community-based mental health initiatives can contribute to broader systems of collaborative learning where frontline providers, participants, community members, and institutional partners jointly adapt and refine program delivery to inform equitable adaptation and dissemination of mental health practices. As the first adaptation of PM + in a community-based mobile clinic in the United States, Healthy Roads offers implementation insights for community health programs on building a mental health workforce reflective of the community, centering community expertise, adapting program delivery for cultural relevance, and ensuring proper staffing to sustain quality care

Curriculum · Mental health · Program evaluation · Psychological intervention · Quality management · Staffing · Workforce · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Health Policy Implementation Science · Mental Health Treatment and Access

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Open DOIOpen Access