Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programming During Ukraine Refugee Crisis in Czechia

Czech government, the Czech Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Czech Ministry of Interior (MoI) have acknowledged mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for refugees from Ukraine as an important component of the humanitarian response. Despite their support to refugees from Ukraine in providing them with the essential basic services such as accommodation, livelihood, health services and education (social determinants of mental health), MHPSS response is still facing some challenges. Main challenges are related to the healthcare delivery system and low mental health awareness among refugees from Ukraine. Shortage of mental health (MH) professionals from Ukraine with the license to practice in Czechia and overwhelmed national healthcare system makes it more difficult for refugees from Ukraine to get adequate and timely MHPSS. Language barriers, low demand for MHPSS among refugees from Ukraine, not fully functional intra and inter-sectoral MHPSS referral system, need for responsible staff care, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of results of MHPSS and introduction of international guidelines into the national MHPSS response are identified as important challenges. Recommendations and solutions to overcome these challenges and improve the outcomes of MHPSS response for the refugee population from Ukraine in Czechia draw from local, regional and global experiences.