🧠 Mental Health Training Traceability Matrix
Connecting Training Inputs to Population-Level Impact
- Number of care workers trained
- Certification/completion rates
- Pre/post training scores
- Training satisfaction ratings
- Geographic distribution of trained workers
- Training hours completed
- Screenings conducted by trained workers
- Referrals made to professionals
- Cases identified per worker
- Worker confidence scores
- Time to diagnosis (before/after)
- Quality of case documentation
- Early vs. late stage diagnosis ratio
- Severe cases reaching hospitals
- Patient outcomes (3/6/12 months)
- Community awareness levels
- Mental health stigma reduction
- Geographic coverage expansion
1. Unique Identifiers
- Assign each trained worker a unique ID
- Link worker ID to all screenings/referrals
- Maintain anonymity for patients
- Track training date and certification level
2. Case Tracking System
- Who identified the case (Worker ID)
- Stage of condition at identification
- Date of identification vs. training date
- Follow-up outcomes at 3/6/12 months
3. Control Groups
- Compare areas with/without trained workers
- Cases by trained vs. untrained workers
- Before/after in same geography
- Similar demographic areas as control
4. Proxy Indicators
- Early-stage to late-stage ratio
- Average time: symptom → care
- Community awareness surveys
- Help-seeking behavior changes
0-6 Months
Track training completions
Implement case logging
Baseline surveys
6-18 Months
Worker follow-up surveys
Aggregate case data
Track referral outcomes
18+ Months
Longitudinal patient data
Cost-benefit analysis
Geographic trends
If you burn out or exploit care workers, the whole system collapses. Design for provider wellbeing from day one.
💰 Economic Benefits
- Pay for training time - not just "free" training
- Performance bonuses for quality screenings
- Stipends for professional development
- Clear career progression path
- Recognized certification valued by employers
🛡️ Emotional Support
- Regular supervision sessions with psychologists
- Peer support groups (monthly gatherings)
- Access to counseling for workers themselves
- Training on self-care and boundaries
- Clear guidelines on when to refer up
📈 Professional Growth
- Build confidence with clear, achievable goals
- Advanced modules after basic certification
- Guest lectures from practitioners
- Opportunities to co-present at workshops
- Portfolio documentation for future jobs
🤝 Community & Voice
- Peer networks - WhatsApp/Telegram groups
- Mentorship pairs for guidance
- Involve workers in program design
- Advisory council of experienced workers
- Annual gatherings for all trained workers
⚖️ Working Conditions
- Realistic workloads - not exploitative
- Time for documentation and self-care
- Flexibility for family/multiple jobs
- Safety protocols for outreach work
- Clear "off hours" boundaries
📊 Provider Metrics
- Worker satisfaction scores (quarterly)
- Retention rates - are people staying?
- Workers' own mental health indicators
- Income changes over time
- Professional advancement tracking
🎯 The Positive Feedback Loop
Workers feel supported and valued → They do better work and stay longer → Better patient outcomes → Program reputation grows → More funding → Better conditions for workers → (Loop continues)
Key: If the program improves workers' social status, earning potential, skills, and mental health - they become your best advocates and the program scales naturally.
💡 Key Insight: Correlation vs. Causation
You likely can't prove direct causation, but you can build a strong correlation case by demonstrating:
Temporal Relationship • Dose-Response • Consistency Across Groups • Ruling Out Alternatives