399 Mental health care for refugees in Germany: a staff survey on the multimodal, multiprofessional treatment offers within the RefuKey project

Abstract EP2.4, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 4, 2025, 11:35 - 12:55 Background & Aims Refugees and asylum seekers (ASR) are exposed to multiple, possibly long-lasting stressors (pre-/peri-/postmigrative), which is reflected in an increased psychiatric morbidity. At the same time, access to regular mental health care is limited (e.g. legal restrictions, language barriers) and there may be relative or absolute contraindications for trauma-specific psychotherapy in case of e.g. an insecure legal residence status, acute suicidality or destabilizing environmental factors. Thus, the provision of need-adapted, low-threshold and flexible multimodal care is inevitable. Aiming at achieving this, the state-funded refuKey project pursues a stepped-care approach by connecting low-threshold Psychosocial Care Centers (PCC) with higher-threshold psychiatric clinics at several locations in Germany. Since the beginning of the project, scientific evaluation (internationally validated scales, available in eleven languages, filled out by refugee patients [pre/post]) has shown ASR clients to have significantly better mental health outcomes at the end of their treatment. For gaining a deeper understanding about the project’s efficacy, and the complexity of the multimodal, multiprofessional treatment offers, a survey among refuKey staff has been implemented. Methods In a two-stage process, refuKey staff is asked about their daily practice in patient contact, key topics and interventions/techniques applied (questionnaire-based: 1. qualitative measures, 2. quantitative measures). Moreover, semi-structured focus-groups with representatives of all professional groups involved are held to deepen the knowledge gained. Results & Conclusions In addition to pre-/peri-migrative stressors, post-migrative stressors are a particular focus of the counseling sessions. Transdiagnostic interventions (e. g. promoting self-efficacy, emotion regulation) that support ressource activation are of high relevance. Mental stabilization, emotional relief and crisis intervention are highly relevant and indicate ASRs’ high mental burden. Expansion and facilitation of early access to standard mental health care and long-term promotion and funding of low-threshold, multimodal treatment offers (e. g. PCCs) as well as reduction of post-migrative stressors are urgently needed