Refugee & Migrant Mental Health Hub is an independent resource for evidence-based information on mental health support for refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced populations. We explain what works, how interventions are delivered, and what organisations and individuals need to know to provide accessible, culturally appropriate psychosocial care.

What we cover

We focus on scalable psychological interventions developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), including Self-Help Plus (SH+), Problem Management Plus (PM+), and Step-by-Step. These are low-intensity, group-based or individual interventions designed to reduce psychological distress and prevent common mental disorders in populations where access to specialist mental health care is limited.

Our content covers:

• What these interventions are and how they work
• Who they are designed for and when they are appropriate
• How to train and support non-specialist facilitators
• Cultural adaptation, translation, and implementation in real-world settings
• Policy and funding frameworks, including the WHO Global Action Plan on refugee and migrant health (extended to 2030)
• Guidance for NGOs, community organisations, local authorities, and health services

Who this is for

This hub is for anyone working with or supporting refugees and migrants, including:

• NGOs and voluntary organisations providing refugee support
• Caseworkers, social workers, and integration staff
• Community workers and cultural mediators
• Volunteers with a refugee or migrant background
• Healthcare professionals and mental health practitioners
• Policy makers, local authorities, and funders
• Refugees and asylum seekers looking for information about available support

Our approach

We prioritise clarity, accuracy, and practical usefulness. Articles are written for a UK and EU audience, using plain language and British English. We explain technical terms, avoid jargon where possible, and focus on what readers can do with the information.

We do not provide:

• Medical advice or diagnosis
• Therapy or counselling services
• Promotional content for specific organisations or products
• Marketing or sales language

Instead, we explain interventions, implementation approaches, and policy frameworks based on published research, WHO guidance, and guidance from bodies such as the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).

Why we created this hub

Refugees and asylum seekers face unique stressors that increase their risk of mental health problems. These include trauma before and during migration, uncertainty about the future, language barriers, social isolation, and difficulties accessing health services. Many experience high psychological distress even if they do not meet the criteria for a diagnosed mental disorder.

Traditional mental health care is often difficult to access for these populations. Services may be expensive, have long waiting times, or be unavailable in the person’s language. Cultural barriers can also make people reluctant to seek help from specialist providers.

Scalable psychological interventions like SH+ offer a practical model for reaching people who need support but cannot access traditional services. They are designed to be delivered by trained non-specialists, can be scaled more easily than specialist therapy, and provide social support through group formats. But information about these interventions is often scattered across research papers, policy documents, and project reports.

We created this hub to bring that information together in a clear, accessible format. Our goal is to help organisations implement evidence-based support, help practitioners understand what these interventions can and cannot do, and help refugees and asylum seekers know what support is available.

Our background

This hub is informed by work on refugee mental health projects including the RE-DEFINE project, a European Commission-funded research programme that translated, adapted, and tested SH+ for refugees and asylum seekers across multiple countries inside and outside Europe. The project carried out large randomised controlled trials to evaluate cost-effectiveness and acceptability, and included a health economic evaluation to determine whether implementation reduces the economic burden of common mental health symptoms.

We are not affiliated with the RE-DEFINE project, the WHO, the EUAA, or any specific organisation. We are an independent resource committed to providing accurate, neutral information based on published evidence and guidance.

Contact and feedback

If you have questions about the content, want to suggest a topic, or notice something that needs correction, we welcome feedback. You can reach us through the contact form on this site.

We aim to keep content up to date as evidence and policy develop. If you spot outdated information, please let us know.