# ESSENCE (Enabling translation of Science to Service to ENhance Depression CarE) Admin Core

> **NIH NIH U19** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2021 · $172,052

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT (ESSENCE ADMINISTRATIVE CORE)
The overall goal of ESSENCE (Enabling translation of Science to Service to ENhance Depression CarE)
is to bridge the science to service gap and strengthen an existing collaborative network of institutions in
South Asia bound together by the NIMH supported SHARE Hub (the South Asian Hub for Advocacy,
Research and Education on mental health) for International Mental Health Research, by generating
knowledge on cost-effective implementation approaches for scaling up of evidence-based interventions
for mental disorders, and building capacity in a range of key stakeholders to enhance the conduct of
implementation research, the dissemination of its findings, and the uptake of this evidence in policy and
programs, ultimately resulting in reduction of treatment gap for mental disorders. The ESSENCE
Administrative Core (EAC) will evolve from the existing administrative core of SHARE and will take
responsibility for the overall administration, coordination, management and monitoring of the Scale Up
and the Capacity Building components. The EAC investigators and team will have specific mandates and
clearly delineated roles and responsibilities. A clearly defined governance mechanism, and research
uptake and monitoring strategies, will aim to facilitate seamless coordination of the components of the
project and communication between ESSENCE network partners, other Hubs awarded under this U19
mechanism, and the NIMH. This will be an exemplary arrangement of collaboration with complementary
expertise and experience and present a unique opportunity for exchange of ideas and capacity building
between the institutions and countries focussed on implementation research in one of the world's most
populous regions with very inadequate mental health resources. The EAC will be housed in the Public
Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and will be supported by Harvard University (Applicant Organization
for ESSENCE). The roles of the EAC will be split between the main PHFI campus in Gurgaon (National
Capital Region, India) which is also where the ESSENCE Contact PI maintains his office as Co-Director
of the Centre for Control of Chronic conditions and Injuries and the PHFI project office in Bhopal, the
capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh, where the ESSENCE PI (Dr. Shidhaye), EAC coordinator and
other EAC team members will be located to oversee the day to day administration of ESSENCE. Three
governance groups will be established to oversee and ensure successful implementation of ESSENCE.
The Leadership Group will be the primary decision making body on policy matters including fiscal and
other resource management. The Research Management Group will be the primary decision making body
on implementation of Scale up component while the Capacity Building Group will oversee the
implementation of various capacity building strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10168617
- **Project number:** 5U19MH113211-05
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** Vikram H Patel
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $172,052
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10168617

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10168617, ESSENCE (Enabling translation of Science to Service to ENhance Depression CarE) Admin Core (5U19MH113211-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10168617. Licensed CC0.

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