Introduction The global burden of mental health disorders has been steadily increasing worldwide since 1990, and major mental disorders are leading causes of disease burden and disability, especially among children (GBD 2019 Mental Disorders Collaborators, 2022). This burden is particularly acute within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with their predominantly younger child and youth populations that are at higher risk of poor mental health outcomes (McGorry et al., 2024).