Migrants and refugees often face a wide range of mental health challenges, and language barriers make it harder for them to access the help they need. Researchers from the University of Warsaw have contributed to the development of an international platform aimed at supporting the mental health of migrants and refugees across the European Union.
The Polish-language version of the MentalHealth4All platform (www.mentalhealth4all.eu/pl) was developed by a team from the Institute of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warsaw: Prof. Łucja Biel, Prof. Agnieszka Biernacka, Dr Urszula Okulska-Łukawska, Dr Katarzyna Czarnocka-Gołębiewska and Dr Aleksandra Kalata-Zawłocka. The tool is currently available in 15 languages and aims to improve access to mental health support for migrants and refugees in Europe.
The platform provides accessible informational materials on mental health, healthcare systems, and mental health support centers in different European countries. It is intended for individuals seeking information or help with mental health issues, healthcare professionals, and representatives of institutions and organizations working with migrants and refugees.
MentalHealth4All was created as part of the three-year project MHealth4All: Development and implementation of a digital platform for the promotion of access to mental healthcare for low language proficient third-country nationals in Europe. The project is co-funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
The interdisciplinary initiative involved 13 partners from 9 countries, including universities and NGOs. The team brought together experts in intercultural communication, interpretation, clinical and social psychology, psychiatry and migrant support.
As part of the project, the MHealth4All team identified and evaluated existing language resources related to mental health, which were used to develop a multilingual database and a map of mental health support centers. The team also conducted numerous interviews with refugees, migrants and social workers, translators, cultural mediators, psychologists and psychiatrists to identify needs, barriers, and communication strategies related to accessing mental health care.
Source:
Institute of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warsaw
