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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

SO188

Community-led mental health and psychosocial support for conflict-affected and forcibly displaced communities: lessons from Sudan and Chad

COMMUNITY-LED MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FOR CONFLICT-AFFECTED AND FORCIBLY DISPLACED POPULATIONS: LESSONS FROM SUDAN AND CHAD

Locally led psychosocial support integrated with protection, child support, referrals, and livelihoods can reach large populations in crisis settings where formal mental health services are limited.

This paper aims to introduce a community-led mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) model implemented by a civil society organization for conflict-affected communities in Sudan and Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad, and to share lessons learned for humanitarian practice. Program data and field implementation experience were reviewed; services included psychological first aid, individual and group psychosocial support, child-friendly and resilience-building activities, community-based outreach, case identification and referral, and livelihood support. The approach was designed to be survivor-centered and culturally appropriate. The program provided psychosocial support to 1,023 women and girls, conducted 76 follow-up sessions, made 54 referrals, and supported 201 survivors. Thirty people received specialized mental health support, more than 1,000 children participated in psychosocial and resilience-building activities, and 27 people received livelihood support. High levels of community acceptance demonstrated the feasibility of locally led MHPSS in humanitarian settings. The paper highlights three key lessons: integrating MHPSS with health, protection, child support, and livelihoods; strengthening local responses through community-based teams and trusted networks; and maintaining referral pathways to specialized care. In conclusion, community-based support complements rather than replaces professional and specialized mental health care; the authors recommend greater investment in this area.

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