The HIV Mental Health Research Unit (HIVMHRU), informally known as the Centre for Behavioural Medicine (CBM), is based within the Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, at the University of Cape Town Neuroscience Institute. We are a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and researchers working across the full continuum of care, from community and primary healthcare settings to tertiary hospital environments.

The Unit was established in response to the growing recognition of the burden of mental disorders among people living with HIV, including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Since its inception in 2006, when the Western Cape Department of Health funded the development of HIV Neuropsychiatry services at Groote Schuur Hospital, the programme has expanded substantially. Today, our clinical, teaching, and research platform extends across numerous hospitals and clinics throughout the greater Cape Town region.

Our work integrates clinical care, teaching, and research translation, ensuring that innovations are continuously refined in practice and translated into meaningful improvements in patient care and health system performance. Over nearly two decades, we have developed and evaluated behavioural interventions for common mental disorders, strengthened counselling and behavioural approaches in both clinical and non-clinical settings, and contributed pioneering research in HIV and mental health that has received growing international recognition.

As the field has evolved, so too has our scope. In addition to HIV-related mental health research and service delivery, our work now encompasses neuropsychiatric conditions associated with ageing, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, brain tumours, neuro-inflammatory disorders such as lupus, metabolic disorders, and vascular brain diseases.

The Centre has secured support from a range of national and international funders, including USAID/PEPFAR, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the National Research Foundation (NRF), and the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). These partnerships have enabled the development of a robust programme of research, clinical innovation, and capacity building.

Training and skills development remain central to our mission. Our team includes highly experienced Master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral supervisors, including Professors John Joska, Stephan Rabie, and Sam Nightingale, and Drs Anna Dreyer and Lwandile Tokwe. Alongside our postgraduate programmes, we offer a suite of CPD-accredited short courses, including Basic Counselling Skills and Psychological First Aid. To date, we have trained more than 300 healthcare professionals, researchers, community workers, and other stakeholders.

Our training activities are consolidated within the Behavioural Medicine Programme, which has undergone rigorous and favourable scientific review by the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The programme operates across three interconnected spheres:

• Master's and doctoral training for medical and social scientists seeking expertise in behavioural medicine research.
• Short-course training for healthcare professionals, organisations, and corporate groups.
• Community-based training and skills transfer initiatives serving patients and clients from peri-urban and underserved communities.

Through our commitment to research excellence, clinical innovation, education, and community engagement, we aim to advance health equity, strengthen mental healthcare systems, and improve access to evidence-based behavioural and mental health interventions across South Africa and beyond.