WG1 – POLICY AND PRACTICE
  • Goals and work modalities: improve MHPSS practices and policies for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants as well as those working with them by mapping key challenges, exchanging experiences, identifying best practices for MHPSS and adapting, amplifying, and applying successful frameworks. Establish a continuous iterative process through which research and case discussions inform practice.
  • Subsections/topics (e.g.):
    • establish best practices for MHPSS interventions ranging from prevention to treatment to rehabilitation, in transit countries and in the broader context of migration (evidence based, values based, effective, harmless, and culturally adjusted) 
    • evaluate availability and quality of mental health care accessible to people on the move, including both adults and minors experiencing mental health difficulties; investigate how it is being provided, and how the wider range of services are being coordinated within each country
    • assess availability and accessibility of the full spectrum of MHPSS services from screening, promotion, and prevention to intervention and rehabilitation
    • identify and adapt existing and create new guidelines for appropriate and dignified MHPSS adjusted for groups with diverse characteristics in transit countries and in the broader context of migration, including but not limited to children and their support systems, survivors of torture, human trafficking survivors, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people with physical or mental disabilities
    • define successful practices for ensuring continuity of care and coordination of services between countries in the transit context as well as in destination countries (coordination mechanisms, effective models of communication and joint planning in order to ensure continuity of services)
    • address the most prominent problems that are being recognized (e.g. substance abuse, human trafficking, torture) by evaluating availability and quality of services addressing this specific problem – who provides them, how they are being provided, evidence based interventions, cooperation between psychologists and psychiatrists, community care, hospital admissions and care and rehabilitation
    • identify and examine shortcomings and obstacles in the existing policy framework and provide evidence-based and expert recommendations for policy improvements
    • strive to include refugees and migrants in programming development and implementation using a community-based approach
    • collaborate with legal professionals to advocate for a trauma informed approach and screenings for torture survivors as well as to provide preparation and psychological support for asylum seekers throughout the asylum procedure to minimize retraumatization during interviews
    • establish common monitoring and evaluation systems
    • explore funding of mental health services for people on the move; from the State budget or the international donors, and recognition of its importance by the stakeholders

 

  • Chair(s):
    • Ante Župić of Medecins du Monde Croatia (mh3.croatia@medecinsdumonde.be)
    • Draga Šapić of PIN (sapic@psychosocialinnovation.net)
  • Members:
    • Care Center Puž (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    • Medecins du Monde (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    • Association on Refugees and Migrants (Bulgaria)
    • Medecins du Monde (Croatia)
    • RCT Zagreb – Rehabilitacijski centar za stres i traumu (Croatia)
    • ZEUXIS (Greece)
    • Aelle il Punto – Nodo Sankara Project (Italy)
    • PIN (Serbia)
    • Association of Assistance Solidarity and Support for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers – MSYD (Turkey)
    • Mavi Kalem Soyal Aid and Solidarity Association (Turkey)