Dominican Republic

SFH works to bring attention to mental health, an under-funded health area, by de-stigmatizing mental health services and promoting the use of resources or holistic health. Through its investigations, SFH has generated evidence on the state of mental healthcare  in the Dominican Republic and implements a model of care with a community approach together with the health sector, communities and people affected. Its innovation includes outpatient mental health care through mobile services, promotion of healthy lifestyles, effective referrals and promotion of the integration of communities in the detection and attention of the main mental health conditions.

SFH has a legacy of implementing successful sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions, which it has accomplished by leveraging social marketing and behavior change communication strategies and working in alliance with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations. Their interventions have included the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence; and the promotion of SRH rights, information, products and services among vulnerable populations.

SFH works with other regional platforms to reduce the rate of Zika transmission, with a focus on pregnant women. SFH does this using a variety of methods, while also focusing on training young people to communicate with their peers and spread information about Zika prevention and protection using social networks.