BECOME: community health worker program combining stress reduction, mood activation, and motivational support for mental and chronic health
A type II hybrid implementation-effectiveness study of BECOME (BEhavioral Community-based COmbined Intervention for MEntal Health and Noncommunicable Diseases) delivered by community health workers
Community health workers deliver stress-reduction, behavioral activation, and motivational interviewing to people with depression, anxiety, diabetes, or high blood pressure in low-resource communities to help improve mood and healthy habits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11396315 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project trains local community health workers to deliver a combined behavioral program (evidence-based stress reduction, behavioral activation, and motivational interviewing) at or near people's homes to address both common mental health conditions and chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. The team will implement the program in Nepal, follow participants' symptoms, behaviors, and health indicators, and measure how well the program can be delivered and maintained in real-world settings. The study emphasizes practical, home-based care and ongoing supervision of community health workers to ensure quality. Researchers will also collect participant and worker feedback to refine training and support for broader use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults in the study region who have symptoms of depression or anxiety and who also have—or are at risk for—diabetes, hypertension, or other chronic conditions.
Not a fit: People without mental health or chronic disease needs, or those with severe psychiatric disorders requiring specialist care, are unlikely to benefit from this community-delivered program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, improve control of blood pressure and blood sugar, and expand access to effective behavioral care in low-resource areas.
How similar studies have performed: Individual components like stress-reduction, behavioral activation, and motivational interviewing have shown benefit and community health worker delivery has been promising, but the integrated BECOME package is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Acharya, Bibhav — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Acharya, Bibhav
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.