Research

Deaf children and youth in Nepal face significant barriers to accessing appropriate mental health information and services. These include communication challenges, stigma, limited availability of deaf-friendly mental health services, inadequate mental health terminology and educational resources in Nepali Sign Language, and insufficient awareness among families, schools, communities, and healthcare providers. These barriers can delay recognition of mental health concerns, restrict help-seeking, and reduce access to appropriate psychosocial and psychiatric support. The Mental Health Enhancement on Deaf Youth (M.E.H.O.D.Y.) initiative was developed to address these gaps through a community-based and inclusive approach. The intervention combines parental and caregiver engagement, school health programs, Deaf Role Model involvement, peer-support networks, Nepali Sign Language training, healthcare-worker sensitization, workshops, development of accessible IEC materials, and digital advocacy. The project emphasizes strengthening the support environment around deaf children and youth rather than focusing only on individual-level mental health needs. The research seeks to understand the mental health needs, barriers to care, and effectiveness of supportive interventions for deaf children and youth. It also aims to assess improvements in mental health awareness, communication access, family and peer support, help-seeking behaviour, and institutional responsiveness. The findings are expected to contribute evidence for developing more accessible, dignified, and deaf-inclusive mental health services and support systems in Nepal.