Health

Mental health and psychosocial support

MAP provides mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to refugees living in Korea who face mental health difficulties, including linkage to psychiatry and psychological counseling, treatment costs and interpretation. The work is carried out in cooperation with UNHCR.

Ongoing 2021~

Background

The experiences of war, persecution and flight leave deep wounds not only in the body but also in the mind. International humanitarian standards treat mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as an essential element of crisis response, alongside food, shelter and health care, because when wounds are not cared for, daily life, relationships, work and learning are all shaken.

Refugees living in Korea also experience trauma, depression and anxiety amid unstable residence status and discrimination. But in consulting rooms without professional interpreters, family members or children sometimes interpret, and many cannot ask for help because of unfamiliar treatment methods and stigma around mental health.

Together with UNHCR, MAP connects refugees to psychiatric care and psychological counseling and supports treatment costs and interpretation. It takes part in the Mental Health Advancement for Refugees in Korea (MHARK), in which mental health professionals and civil society organizations work together, and cooperates to increase care that understands refugees' language and culture.

What we do

Mental health counseling and linkage to medical institutions

MAP receives requests for counseling from refugees, connects them with psychiatry departments, psychological counseling centers and medical institutions, and responds promptly in emergencies. It also links refugees to social welfare, legal, housing and education support.

since 2021
Support for treatment costs, test costs and interpretation

MAP supports psychiatric consultation and test fees, counseling therapy fees and rehabilitation activity costs for therapeutic purposes, and provides interpretation for counseling and consultations. It has run this program with UNHCR since 2021.

since 2021UNHCR
Linkage to developmental therapy for refugee children

MAP finds speech therapy institutions for refugee children who need developmental therapy, connects them, and accompanies families to consultations when needed. MAP works with Save the Children.

since 2024Save the Children
Mental Health Advancement for Refugees in Korea (MHARK)

A council established in 2024 by psychiatric experts and civil society organizations to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support for refugees and other forcibly displaced people; MAP takes part as a member organization.

since 2024Society of Korean Women Psychiatrists, Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL), The Refuge pNan, Seoul Counseling Center for Migrant Women, Migration to Asia Peace (MAP), Homointer, UNHCR Republic of Korea

History

2021
MAP began mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as a new project in cooperation with UNHCR. The project took counseling requests about mental health from refugees and linked them to medical institutions, supported medical interpretation and translation and medical costs, and built the capacity of interpreters and translators.
2022
MAP widened its support to refugee children, and for this it surveyed mental health service resources and found and trained interpreters. In the refugee trauma task force formed by civil society organizations, migrant health organizations and the UNHCR Representation in Korea, MAP served as co-leader.
2023
MAP supported 17 refugees of every residence status with psychiatric test fees, outpatient costs, counseling therapy costs, emergency housing costs and interpretation. In November, it took part in a fundraising campaign of the Next Generation Foundation and Kakao Together and prepared a counseling space. MAP also started a joint project between the Society of Korean Women Psychiatrists and the refugee trauma task force.
2024
On June 29, at the National Center for Mental Health, MAP signed the agreement forming the Mental Health Advancement for Refugees in Korea (MHARK) with the Society of Korean Women Psychiatrists, Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL), The Refuge pNan and Homointer, and the consortium signed an agreement with UNHCR the same day. Over the year, 22 adults and 8 children received psychiatric care and psychological counseling. There were 183 psychiatric and counseling sessions in all, with 9 interpreters working in Arabic, Russian, English and Amharic.
2025
MAP continued finding and linking treatment institutions for refugee children who need developmental therapy. On November 16, it ran together with refugees at the Mind Run Festival, and MHARK covered the entry fees for the first 50 participants.
2026
In June, so that a refugee child with a developmental delay could continue speech therapy and psychological therapy, MAP arranged treatment cost and living expense support in connection with Save the Children. On July 4, at the refugee mental health symposium, refugees' own stories and cases of support from the field were shared.

Who it is for

Refugees living in Korea who face mental health difficulties (including adults, children and youth)
Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, alcohol dependence, child developmental delay and similar conditions
Refugees of every residence status

Humanitarian support: requests and enquiries

Emailhs@mapcast.org
Phone02-2038-0231
Phone010-8438-0232

In numbers

17 people: Refugees who received mental health and psychosocial support in 2023
21 pieces: Illustrations by refugee artists displayed at the booth at the 2025 Mind Run Festival
50 people: Number of entrants whose 2025 Mind Run entry fees MHARK covered (first come, first served)
30 people: People in case management in 2024 (22 adults, 8 children)
183 sessions: Psychiatric care and counseling sessions in 2024