A pilot measure that aims at the development and evaluation of new concepts of integrated community-based mental health services for Somalia and for Somali refugees in neighboring countries.

1. Be able to apply for funds for a randomized controlled trial on adapted community-based care for patients with severe mental illnesses and their carers.
2. Essential information for designing a randomized controlled trial on adapted community-based treatment is available:
• the expected effect sizes (pre-post) of treatment components for the calculation of power and sample size
• the reliable and culturally valid measurement instruments to evaluate intervention effects 3. In-depth knowledge on key variables is available that will be important for planning and implementing the randomized controlled trial on adapted community-based treatment:
• the prevalence of severe mental disorders in urban Somali refugee settlements
• the burden of caretakers of people with severe mental disorders
• the prevalence of other mental disorders, problematic behaviours such as excessive substance use, substance use disorders and trauma experiences
• the use of the different existing mental health treatment services and their effects
• the attitudes and expectations of Somali refugees against different forms of mental health services, including medical services, traditional healers and self-help.
• the use of psychotropic substances and their effects 4. First evidence for a community-based treatment tool for khat addiction exists.
5. The network of African partners is extended. On the level of investigators, partnerships for a multi-center study have been established.
End date: December 2015