Refugee mental health: Culturally relevant considerations.

In recent years, multiple global crises have contributed to increasing human displacement. Currently, there are approximately 84 million displaced people around the world. Many suffer from mental health problems. However, the mental health service delivery system is not fully prepared to meet the complex needs of refugees. Refugees experience multiple barriers, both individual and systemic, to accessing and engaging in mental health treatment. The following article provides an overview of some of the challenges faced by refugees worldwide and avenues forward. The authors also examine contextual factors that impact refugee resettlement and discuss barriers to culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and ethical care. Finally, the authors review advocacy efforts and discuss future directions to improve refugee mental health care delivery.

Introduction to the special issue: Complementary medicine and integrative health approaches to trauma therapy and recovery.

The popularity of complementary and integrative health (also complementary integrated health; CIH) approaches has significantly increased in recent years. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health, about 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 9 children used CIH approaches to healing. Some reports estimate that the use of CIH approaches will continue to increase (Clarke et al., 2015) as these therapies are cost effective and also due to the difficulties in finding trained mental health professionals (Simon et al., 2020). For the purpose of this special issue, we use the NCCIH's definition of CIH as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine" (Barnes et al., 2004, p. v). However, the integration of these therapies into the health system has not followed the same pattern despite the fact that patients report the need to discuss CIH therapies with their doctors or are actually using them (de Jonge et al., 2018; Jou & Johnson, 2016; Stapleton et al., 2015). This inability to keep up with the demand or patients' preference is possibly due to providers' lack of understanding and/or knowledge of these therapies, as well as scientific skepticism (Ali & Katz, 2015; Fletcher et al., 2017). Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, Jou & Johnson (2016) identified patterns of CIH use in the United States and reasons for patients' nondisclosure of the use of these therapies. Patients' fear of disclosure due to perceived skepticism or disapproval from their provider was frequently attributed as a cause of patients' nondisclosures to providers about the use of these therapies (Eisenberg et al., 2001; Jou & Johnson, 2016; Thomson et al., 2012). The arrival of patient-centered care models is beginning to shift the ways we understand the patient's role in treatment engagement. Patient-centered approaches often emphasize the use of preventative and holistic wellness models that go beyond the use of evidence-based treatments. This approach also seeks to be culturally responsive, which is a key factor in addressing health disparities in the United States (American Psychological Association [APA], 2019). The Institute of Medicine, in its report on CIH therapies, highlighted the importance of engaging patients in their own care, including having a decision about therapeutic options (Bondurant et al., 2005). Likewise, the Race and Ethnicity Guidelines in Psychology (APA, 2019) recommend psychologists engage the patient's cultural beliefs, or what Kleinman called the "explanatory belief model" (Kleinman, 1978)- for example, by "aim[ing] to understand and encourage indigenous/ ethnocultural sources of healing within professional practice" (APA, 2019, p. 24). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19 and U.S.-based refugee populations: Commentary.

The arrival of the pandemic known as COVID-19 has resulted in an emergency appraisal of the way mental health services are delivered to refugee and asylum-seeker populations at the Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts. The following commentary summarizes some of the main approaches used to address the unique needs of this vulnerable population under lockdown. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).