October 12 to 14, 2026, the School of Global Health (SGH) and the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, organized the Basic Training on Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) for Mental Health in Border Areas in Mae Sot, Tak Province. The workshop brought together social workers, community health workers, educators, managers, nurses, and doctors from Mae Tao Clinic (MTC), Mae Sot Hospital (MSGH), Suwannimit Foundation (SNF), and Thai Red Cross Tak. The main goal was to improve mental health care for migrant and Thai communities by connecting existing local services, encouraging open communication across all job levels, and putting patients at the center of care.
The opening session was led by key local healthcare leaders, including Dr. Cynthia Maung (Director of Mae Tao Clinic), Dr. Suthat Aphaikunchon (Deputy Director of Mae Sot Hospital), Mrs. Supawadee Nakaew (Head of Thai Red Cross Tak), and Prof. Myat Htoo Razak (Co-director of School of Global Health)
Key Highlights
- Continuity of Care: Emphasized that a referral alone is not enough. Important medical details, patient preferences, home conditions, perceived barriers, effective communications, assigned staff responsibilities, and appropriate follow-up must stay with the patient throughout their care journey.
- Realistic Case Practice: Practiced handling common real-life challenges, including physical injury with depression, domestic safety, teenage self-harm, postpartum depression, and acute mental health emergencies.
- Core Practice Principles: Focused on practical daily habits: active listening (“Don’t assume. Ask”), regular depression screening using the PHQ-9 tool, and cautious medication use (“Start low, Go slow, But go!”).
- Stronger Referral Links: Built direct communication channels among relevant social organizations, Mae Tao Clinic, and Mae Sot Hospital for appropriate and timely referrals to ensure reliable and effective continuity of care.
- Commitment Pairs: Established working partnerships between different organizations to stay in touch, share updates, and to enhance continuum of care of patients.
In addition, Chulalongkorn University team had the opportunity to meet Dr. Visit Apisittiwittaya, Tak Provincial Chief Medical Officer, and his delegation during their official visit to review operations at Mae Tao Clinic.
This workshop illustrated how collaboration can begin within existing services through listening to different perspectives of providers and patients, clarifying roles, communicating more effectively, sharing responsibility, and organizing care around patients and families. It also highlighted that continued engagement and follow-up are needed to assess whether learning translates into routine practice and what support is required to sustain collaborative approaches.
