Bridging the gap in mental health

A mental health and HIV pilot project has been launched by the UNHCR in partnership with Lawyers for Human Rights and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Torture to provide a holistic support to refugees and asylum-seekers with mental health illnesses.

The project, aiming to address the needs of people with mental health problems and improve the mental well-being of refugees in Gauteng, will greatly benefit many refugees who have not been given much attention in past.

We got LHR’s Federica Micoli answers some questions about the project:

Could you start with giving some background to the pilot project, what does it entail, who will it help?
We (Lawyers for Human Rights, Refugee Aid Organisation, Jesuit Refugee Service, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation) identified a shared need for a more structured approach to issues around psychological disorders among refugees and asylum-seekers.

We saw an absence of a proper structure to support clients and the lack of appropriate training for the human rights practitioners offering services to this category of clients. The Mental Health Project applies a holistic approach to the problems faced by troubled refugees and asylum-seekers.

The consequences of these challenges are many. It leads to neglecting application for permits, stigma from communities, job losses, limited access to public health and education and unlawful detention and deportation. They are also at a higher risk of sexual exploitation.

The projects aims at giving the most vulnerable clients an all round assistance which includes legal services, counselling and social support.

LHR, CSVR and UNHCR work closely on a system based on mutual referrals and frequent case discussions to share information and agree on strategies to find better ways of helping common clients.

Why are refugees and asylum-seekers more likely to develop these challenges?
This group is more likely to develop these challenges due to enduring trauma including torture, war, displacement and rape, develop psychological side-effects that affect their emotional, and as a result, physical wellbeing.

The most common disabilities experienced by our clients are depression, post traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia, paranoia, delusional thoughts and behaviours and bipolar disorders.

How can refugees and asylum-seekers access the assistance?By approaching one of the organisations involved: LHR, UNHCR or CSVR. Based on their specific needs they will then be referred to the relevant partner organisation.

Is it restricted to Gauteng?
Yes, for now. We will collect statistical data about the size of the problem in Gauteng. It is still in the pilot phase and it’s viaiblity is being tested.

Is there a cost in accessing this help?
Absolutely not. All services are free of charge.

Why is a project of this kind so important?
It fills in those gaps mentioned before. It helps these asylum-seekers and refugees to make sure their documentation is updated.

It makes sure their refugee claims are not unjustly rejected because of questions around credibility.

More broadly, it takes care of the most vulnerable among the vulnerable. It gives a chance, an opportunity, to rebuild their lives.

It will also raise awareness about the importance of mental wellbeing, the impact of mental disability among the migrant population, the size of it and the various ways it is dealt with.

From LHR’s perspective, it’s important because it aims to reduce the number of undocumented people in the country.