Support Through Ethno-psychosocial approaches and PM+ for migrants

Migrants have been among the most affected by COVID-19, exacerbating their prior vulnerabilities and worsening their mental health (MH) state. Even before the pandemic, however, public MH systems across Europe have been struggling to respond adequately to migrants'Äô MH needs, as MH professionals are a scarce resource, often ill-equipped to deal with people with a different cultural background. Hence, the STEP IN project will build the capacity of non-MHPSS professionals who are in contact with particularly vulnerable migrant populations (e.g. refugees and asylum seekers, women, adolescents and young adults, single-headed households, people affected by migration processes, Roma communities) in Italy, Greece and Romania to deliver the culturally appropriate Problem Management+ (PM+) programmes, embedding a ethno-psychosocial approach, to address mental and psychosocial health problems, including anxiety and depression, commonly found in individuals affected by adversity. The project will also evaluate the feasibility of PM+ to address target groups'Äô specific vulnerabilities through a Proof of Concept phase, eventually proposing evidence-based recommendations for scale-up in the selected locations and in other Member States. Networking and sharing opportunities will be ensured to further support replicability in other locations. In the short-term, the project will contribute to an improvement in the prevention of MH issues in migrant populations by: 1. equipping non-MHPSS professionals working with them with a flexible and affordable methodology; 2. raising the awareness of key stakeholders on the effects the pandemic has produced over migrants and the urgency to tackle them before they require specialised care; 3. providing evidence on effective approaches to improve the well-being of migrant populations. In the long-term, this would translate in reduced burden over MH public systems and enhanced public health actions.