In an increasingly complex world where mental health cases such as anxiety, depression and addiction have skyrocketed, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences officially registered its Community Mental Health Center with the Allied Health Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe.

The initiative which is jointly driven by the Department of Applied Psychology and the Division of Student Affairs, is aimed at providing a high quality, consumer-driven, behavioral and targeted case management services to MSUAS students, staff and the community at large.

Speaking on the Mental Health Centre, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Albert Chawanda said, “The facility is one of its kind in Manicaland as we aim to amplify the University’s community impact on mental health issues. The objective is to create a healthy University community with adequate support systems to address topical, community mental challenges.”

Commenting on the registration, MSUAS Mental Health Specialist, Mrs Tendai Muhle said, “Our mission is to reduce barriers to mental health access by educating students, staff and the community on mental health issues while ensuring clients feel comfortable whilst reaching out for our support.”

The Mental Health Centre is located in the Health Services Centre and is currently offering services such as individual, couple and family therapy; group therapy, interventions with individuals and families for treatment of emotional and behavioral problems.

The center boasts of a team of highly qualified professionals, including psychologists and counselors who are dedicated to providing individual therapy, group support sessions, and psychiatric evaluations. The University Community can access a range of services tailored to their unique needs and circumstances while confidentiality and privacy are prioritized to guarantee safe space for clients to share their concerns.