Abstract:
Mental health needs and disparities are widespread and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19
pandemic, with the greatest burden being on marginalized individuals worldwide. The World
Health Organization developed the Mental Health Gap Action Programme to address growing
global mental health needs by promoting task sharing in the delivery of psychosocial and
psychological interventions. However, little is known about the training needed for non-
specialists to deliver these interventions with high levels of competence and fidelity. This article
provides a brief conceptual overview of the evidence concerning the training of non-specialists
carrying out task-sharing psychosocial and psychological interventions while utilizing illustra-
tive case studies from Kenya, Ethiopia, and the United States to highlight findings from the
literature. In this article, the authors discuss the importance of tailoring training to the skills and
needs of the non-specialist providers and their roles in the delivery of an intervention. This
narrative review with four case studies advocates for training that recognizes the expertise that
non-specialist providers bring to intervention delivery, including how they promote culturally
responsive care within their communities.