Our Approach

Mobilizing action globally, engaging locally

We enhance existing mental health programs and develop new ones, using a locally appropriate, outcomes-focused lens to make sure programs maximize their potential for users.

We aim to play a transformative role in improving mental health services and systems.

Applying an outcomes-based approach, we partner with donors, governments and service providers to optimize mental health outcomes across all kinds of interventions, in all cases aiming to better link services to real outcomes and impact. We do this by:

  1. Providing Technical Assistance. Hands on support across sectors in performance management, contracting, user-centered service design and how to optimize impact.
  2. Contracting new programs. Creation of innovative outcomes-focused mental health initiatives in partnership with service providers and funders.

Technical Assistance

Our Technical Assistance (TA) provides hands on support to governments, third sector and service providers to deliver greater / more results for their service users. Our TA is tailored to the problem at hand, and can include:

Program design and / or implementation. Collaborating to develop appropriate, user-centered interventions, define success, and manage implementation. Tying payments to outcomes where possible and creating and embedding a performance culture.

Ongoing Performance Management. Working with partners to create a regular cycle of tracking, reporting and reviewing of mental health service performance. Diving into performance drivers and unlocking improvement towards desired results.

Innovative Contracting. Designing and managing innovative outcomes-based contracts. Performance monitoring, contract / payment administration and working together to course-correct if outcomes are not being achieved as expected.

Optimizing Impact. Enhancing existing interventions, programs or systems by providing a review of current approaches and recommendations to do things differently.

In all or work, our Lived Experience Council support us in capturing the user voice at the forefront.

Learn more about how our TA services can support and enhance your mental health provision. Click here for our current projects, including Performance Management with Counties in California, Chairing and advising on Impact Bonds and leading early outcomes discovery phase work with PATH.

Our Technical Assistance lifts up the way work is done and drives outcomes.

— Dr Jon Sherin, Chief Medical Officer

Contracting new programs

Globally, it’s estimated that only 1 in 4 people with mental health conditions receive treatment and up to 75% of people with mental health conditions in low- and middle-income countries do not receive any treatment. In recognition of this, we work in partnership with service providers and their funders to create new programs, using a contracting model that links payments to outcomes, as opposed to reimbursing costs for inputs.

This is an innovative approach, challenging traditional procurement. When done effectively, outcomes-based contracting has significant benefits, including giving service providers the freedom to design and deliver context-relevant, individually-focused programs rather than impose solutions on people and places. It also increases performance transparency and accountability.

We are currently mobilizing a new maternal mental health program in South Africa starting with the outcomes that matter to mothers. In an environment where mental health is highly stigmatized, applying a local lens and culturally-appropriate language is ever more important.

We work with programs globally, but think locally. This makes us different. We apply a framework of ‘People, Place and Purpose’ as a lens to support user-defined outcomes. We believe that these three domains are key to mental wellness for all.

Using People, Place and Purpose to help define program outcomes
HBGI’s focus on performance and delivering tangible outcomes along with transparent data processes gives us confidence that the program will have a measurable impact on individuals and their communities. Whilst leaning on their wealth of international experience, the HBGI team works locally, in collaboration with others, to drive system change from the bottom up.
— Anglo American
More About HBGI
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