About us

The Consortium on Refugees’ and Migrants’ Mental Health (CoReMH) is devoted to identifying and addressing prominent issues in mental health protection for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, through evidence-based practice, research and advocacy work. In particular, CoReMH recognizes that transit is an evolving and under researched context with unique needs and methodological challenges.

As such, CoReMH seeks to foster collaboration and facilitate cooperation between key actors in the field of migration and mental health, focusing primarily on countries on the transit route and interventions to be applied in that context.

The main objectives of CoReMH are:

  • To create a network of mental health professionals, researchers and policy makers, that will work together towards establishing a common framework for the provision of mental health services to the refugee, asylum seeker and migrant populations;
  • To identify local and global challenges in the protection of refugees’, asylum seekers’, and migrant’s mental health, create action plans/guidelines, and implement concrete measures to address those challenges;
  • To conduct research on refugees’, asylum seekers’, and migrants’ mental health and the type/quality of mental health services they are receiving, in order to keep track of trends and provide evidence-based recommendations for improving the mental health protection system;

  • To systematize, re-evaluate, and develop advanced approaches in the protection of refugees’, asylum seekers’ and migrants’ mental health, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice;
  • To establish a joint advocacy platform dedicated to highlighting the relevance of mental health protection in the contexts of asylum and displacement;
  • To engage in a transfer of knowledge and share experiences between mental health professionals and other stakeholders, as well as to provide training opportunities for early career mental health professionals;
  • To identify the mental health risks and increased need for psychological support among refugees, asylum seekers and migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic and search for systemic and sustainable solutions.

CoReMH work is organized in four areas:

Working Group 1 (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.

Working Group 2 (WG2) – Research

Goals and work modalities: enable evidence-based practice and data and ethics driven advocacy work by carrying out stakeholder needs assessments and systematic literature reviews, designing and conducting collaborative research and dissemination of research results through publishing papers, research reports and advocacy briefs.

Working Group 3 (WG3) – Advocacy and Networking

Goals and work modalities: improve refugees’, asylum seekers’ and migrants’ MHPSS by establishing communication and relation with stakeholders, institutions, policy makers, public authorities, media, networks and individuals, preparing advocacy briefs and communicating CoReMH’s results and messages to relevant actors, promoting the work of the CoReMH, approaching new members, connecting to relevant networks, UN bodies, governments, and donors.

Working Group 4 (WG4) – Capacity Building

Goals and work modalities: build networks’ capacity and achieve synergy of expertise and competencies within and outside of the CoReMH by mapping available resources as well as assessing needs for, organizing, and delivering trainings.