The PALOMA Centre of Expertise - founded to meet the need for services to support the mental health of people of refugee backgrounds in Finland - compiled a list of good practices in refugee support for mental health professionals.

The centre provides support for all professionals and organisations working with the mental health of people of refugee backgrounds, and organises group activities for refugees in conjunction with other organisations. It is funded by the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

The practices listed by the centre are as follows:

Cultural competence and cultural sensitivity

Cultural competence involves respecting people with any cultural background and fostering an atmosphere of non-discrimination in society. Services should be available and accessible to ensure that the different needs of people with varying backgrounds are considered. Cultural sensitivity is related to cultural competence, referring to professionals' culturally respectful interpersonal skills, including verbal and non-verbal encounters and communications in client work. It enables each party to express their culture and be accepted and heard. Cultural sensitivity is the willingness, ability, and sensitivity to understand people with different backgrounds. Culturally sensitive services do not mean providing services separately for every target group; instead they refer to services that are flexible according to the needs of diverse clients.

Holistic work approach

In a holistic work approach, the customer is served or cared for as a whole. Adopting a holistic, flexible, and multi-professional work approach is particularly important in multicultural customer work, and is beneficial for all customers. It is of particular importance when working with vulnerable customers such as children, the elderly, and those with a refugee background. Customer needs may be complex and can involve, for example, both specific physical and mental health issues, and both social and legal aspects. Smooth cooperation between the different actors involved is therefore essential.

Case management

Case management supports the effectiveness of services and promotes the health and welfare of the client. Case management is vital in the different changes and transitional stages of clients' lives and is particularly beneficial when clients have long-term, diverse service needs. For people who have moved to Finland, such transitional stages may include arrival in Finland and the first stages of integration. Case management and a network-like approach are particularly beneficial for clients with challenging past experiences and a need for versatile services and forms of support. Case management involves coordinating work that promotes collaboration between different organisations and administrative branches.

Working with the assistance of an interpreter

Working with the assistance of an interpreter makes sure that both clients and professionals are understood. An interpreter should be used whenever the client's language skills are insufficient for properly discussing issues. Under the Language Act of Finland, a person has the right to interpreter services if they cannot speak Finnish or Swedish, or cannot be understood due to an injury or illness. The reception centres organise interpretation and translation services for asylum seekers. An interpreter's assistance when meeting clients, for example, in social and health care services, reduces the likelihood of misunderstanding, making the service cost-effective. Interpreting is also crucial from the perspective of patient safety.

Compassion fatigue and work guidance

The terms compassion stress, fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress describe a phenomenon whereby a client's difficult and traumatic experiences are transferred to an employee or working community, causing them mental strain. Professionals working with refugees often encounter clients suffering from multiple traumas, difficult life situations, and a need for various services. These diverse needs produce a particular challenge in their work. Work guidance provides tools for relieving compassion stress and developing the work of professionals. Work guidance aims to support professionals in their jobs, providing them with new perspectives and tools for managing their tasks.

Rehabilitation services for immigrants

The rehabilitation services used by immigrants include mental health support, treatment of disabilities, or finding employment. International studies have also shown that applying for rehabilitation services may be problematic for immigrants: they may be unfamiliar with the concept of rehabilitation, which contributes to preventing people from using the services available to them.

Find further information on this here.