Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) provides technical support in the form of capacity building for various issues regarding mental health, and refugees and trafficked persons.

Training of Care Providers for Trafficked Persons

HEI partnered the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2011 to conduct rapid appraisals for the victims of trafficking and care providers at three government-run shelters. The first of the three assessment reports has been endorsed by the Malaysian government. Based on the gaps identified in the rapid appraisal, HEI subsequently conducted workshops on the Psychosocial Needs of Victims of Trafficking with the care providers of these three government-run shelters.

In 2012, HEI developed the Basic Psychosocial Support Guidelines for Government Shelter Staff for survivors of trafficking based on the capacity building needs identified in the rapid appraisals and the care providers from these three workshops.

An outcome of the engagement with the government-run shelters was  a two-year partnership with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in a two-year pilot project on the Provision of Training on Psycho-Social Support for Care Providers at the Government-Run Shelter. From this engagement, HEI published a self-study manual titled “Human Trafficking and Mental Health: A Primer” that is available in English and Bahasa Malaysia.

Suicide Risk Prevention Workshop 

HEI is a member of the Inter-Agency Mental Health and Psycho Social Support Working Group (IAWG-MHPSS). The members of IAWG-MHPSS are (in alphabetical order)

  • A Call to Serve (ACTs)
  • Afghan Community Center
  • Asylum Access
  • Buddhist-Tzu Chi
  • Health Equity Initiatives (HEI)
  • International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  • International Organization for Migration (IOM)
  • Mercy Malaysia
  • Taylor’s University School of Medicine
  • The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  • Zam Refugee Organization

The objective of the IAWG-MHPSS is to provide peer support, and collectively build capacity for its members.

In strengthening the capacities of the network, HEI’s Mental Health Services conducted a suicide risk prevention workshop for the working group in November 2016.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy Workshops (IPT)

Dr. Xavier Pereira, HEI’s Founder, Director and Mental Health Services Director, who is a Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist is also an Associate Professor at a medical school in Malaysia. He received his certification in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) in 2006 and subsequently gained certification as a supervisor and trainer in IPT. He has given plenaries and lectures, and conducted seminars and workshops on IPT. IPT is a time-limited psychotherapy designed at resolving interpersonal issues, and decreasing psychological distress.

Dr. Xavier has conducted two IPT workshops to date, one in 2012, with professor Dr. Scott Stuart, and one in 2016. He also provides supervision for those who have completed their Level A certification and would like to further their certification in Level B.