INTERSOS Hellas identified the need to build up an Mental Health and Psychological Support (MHPSS) component to respond to the increasing mental health needs that were identified in the hosted refugee/migrant population mainly deriving from a)n the general increase of INTERSOS hosted population, b) the increase of people with MH problems, and c) the discontinuance of activities by other NGOs. INTERSOS Hellas managed to support these needs through: a well-structured screening and assessment Mental Health system, the provision of tailor-designed individual/family interventions, and the establishment of a strong referral network with existing specialized mental health services.

INTERSOS’s Hellas focus has been 1) the successful handover of psychiatric cases to the public psychiatric services and 2) the ensuring of meaningful access of refugees and asylum seekers to the existing services of the public structures. Also INTERSOS Hellas has worked in establishing closer working relationships with the public psychiatric services (hospital and mental health centers) of Epirus. As a result, different forms of collaborations have been established with the different structures and ways of operation: such as the creation of referral Mental Health forms, referral procedures, and feedback mechanisms between INTERSOS Hellas and Ministry of Health (MoH) Mental Health professionals.