Mental Health and Wellbeing
Most adults and children from refugee-like backgrounds have experienced some degree of trauma. This may include forcible displacement, conflict, family separation and significant human rights violations, including torture and physical and sexual violence. Unaccompanied and separated children are recognised as having specific risks and vulnerabilities.
For information about approaches to care for people from a refugee background please see the Refugee Health Guide.
Victoria has several specialist mental health support services for people of refugee background. Please contact services directly for up-to-date information about their service offerings.
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Mental Health Support After Hospital Discharge
The guide aims to help patients and carers understand what may happen after discharge from a mental health service, including discharge and safety plans, medication information, follow-up appointments, warning signs, crisis support and pathways to ongoing care, including clear explanations of key terms, actionable guidance and information about accessing an interpreter.Visit
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Getting mental health help
This resource was developed by Embrace Multicultural Mental Health to support people from CALD backgrounds to access appropriate mental health support when needed. It is available in 18 languages.Visit
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What is mental health?
This resource was developed by Embrace Multicultural Mental Health to support people from CALD backgrounds to better understand mental health. It is available in 18 languages.Visit
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Designing mental health services for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds
A tip sheet for mental health clinicians, counsellors and key workers working with children, young people and families from a refugee or asylum seeking background.Visit
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Working with Children, Young People and Families from a Refugee and Asylum-seeking Background: A Tip Sheet
A tip sheet for mental health clinicians, counsellors and key workers working with children, young people and families from a refugee or asylum seeking background.View Document
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Glossary of terms – Accessing mental health services
The bilingual glossary explains common mental health terms used in the Victorian mental health system. It is designed to help people better understand the mental health system, their rights, and the roles of different professionals involved in care and support.Visit
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Interpreting Services for PHN-Commissioned mental health services
As a provider of mental health services funded by a Primary Health Network, your organisation is now able to access interpreting Services funded by the Australian Government through the National Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS National).View Document
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Access to mental health local services in twenty-one languages
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health and Victorian State Government has developed videos about access to mental health local services in twenty-one languages.Visit
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Factsheets on difference between new mental health locals and existing hubs
Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system is transforming, with mental health and wellbeing hubs being phased out, and mental health and wellbeing locals established.Visit
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Healthy Mind, Healthy Family, Healthy Community (Arabic)
Healthy Mind, Healthy Family, Healthy Community is a video produced by members of the Syrian and Iraqi Community Advisory Group of the Diverse Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Project. This video is in Arabic.View
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Hope and Life (Dari)
Hope and Life is a video produced by members of the Communities from Afghanistan Advisory Group of the Diverse Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Project. This video is in Dari.View
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Orygen ‘Trauma-informed care webinar’ Refugee Access Project
This webinar brings you on the journey of creating a new service for the targeted population of newly arrived Iraqi and Syrian refugees aged 0 to 24 years of age living in North West Melbourne and why specialised refugee access services are needed.Visit
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Victorian Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH)
A directory of bilingual health providers (This has links to search directories that have capacity to search for professionals by language)Visit
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Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IHMA)
Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IHMA) supports people who are receiving, or at risk of receiving, compulsory mental health treatment to make decisions and have as much say as possible about their assessment, treatment and recovery.Visit
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Strength in My Roots
Mental Health Information and resources for multicultural young people. Hear from multicultural young people about their experiences and explore helpful resources to support your mental health.Visit
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Universal stories of healing from depression
Universal Stories of Healing from Depression is an audio-visual resource which has been developed to raise awareness of depression in refugee communities.Visit
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Transcultural Mental Health Centre- Mental Health of Syrian Conflict Refugees
This website brings together information and resources to assist service providers to better understand and meet the mental health needs of refugees from Syria and Iraq.Visit