Behavioral Health International Group (BHIG)

The Behavioral Health International Group (BHIG) is a platform for students and professors to share experiences and opportunities in international and cross-cultural behavioral and mental health programs, practices, and policies.

The group was formed as a response to a growing international movement on the importance of considering the promotion of mental and behavioral health as a global health priority. The group has four main goals:

• to provide a forum for learning about and discussing the incredible complexities that exist when dealing with mental health in non-western contexts
• to advocate for psychosocial needs in communities with low resources, high stigma, and diverse understanding of medicine and health
• to enhance existing interdepartmental collaboration and promote further development in this area
• to enhance student academic and professional development through networking opportunities with colleagues and professionals in the field who work on cross-cultural mental health issues.

2011-2012 Leadership

• President: Rebecca Hock rhock@jhsph.edu
• Vice Chair: Emily Haroz eharoz@jhsph.edu
• Public Relations Chair: Sarah McIvor Murray smmurray@jhsph.edu
• Faculty advisor: Dr. Anita Everett aeveret4@jhmi.edu

2009-2011 Leadership

• President: Su Yeon Lee sulee@jhsph.edu
• President-elect: Rebecca Hock rhock@jhsph.edu
• Secretary: Emily Haroz eharoz@jhsph.edu
• Treasurer: Naoko Okuma nokuma@jhsph.edu

Past Events

• Mental health first aid to Haitian earthquake victims
• Discussion with Iraqi mental health professionals on cross-cultural comparison of mental health services
• Psychosocial clinical intervention in Ethiopia
• Proposal discussion on adapting the new WHO Global Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) intervention guide in the context of Liberia
• Hiding Divya film-screening and panel discussion with the film director and a representative from Counselors Helping (South) Asians (CHAI)
• Seminar on "Developing assessment tools for Burmese Refugees in Thailand" by Emily Haroz, M.A.
• Mr. Jagannath Lamichhane's talk, "A journey from mental illness to activism: a reflection from Nepal"
• Dr. Shieun Yu's presentation, "Psychosocial issues among North Korean refugees in South Korea"

Above: With Iraqi Mental health professionals and Dr. Anita Everett

Above: With Mr. Jagannath Lamichhane, a journalist and mental health activist from Nepal

BHIG Accolades

• Recipient of 2011 Johns Hopkins Institutions Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) Diversity Recognition Award

• Kriti Jain, MHS student: "BHIG feels like more of a community than any other student group I've ever been part of."

• Mr. Jagannath Lamichhane, honored guest speaker: "You people have real passion and doing great work. I liked the diversity of your work within mental health and by the time, the culture of debate you are initiating within the school was impressive for me. I can say with certainty that you are the most diverse and potential group in global mental health that I have ever met."

Links

• Movement for Global Mental Health www.globalmentalhealth.org 
• Applied Mental Health Research Group http://globalmentalhealth.jhu.edu/amhr.html