Connecting formal and informal mental health ecosystems as a foundation for culturally responsive, community-oriented support

In Belgium, knowledge and practices related to mental health are primarily organized according to Western biomedical and psychological paradigms, in which the individual therapeutic relationship takes center stage. Although there has been increased attention to culturally sensitive care in recent years, these initiatives remain largely embedded within the existing structures of mainstream mental health care (MHC). As a result, other ways of understanding and supporting mental health—arising from diverse cultural, spiritual, and social traditions—often remain underrepresented. For many people with an ethnic-cultural minority identity, however, communities, social networks, and informal practices play an important role in coping with mental health challenges.
Within culturally diverse communities, there are numerous grassroots initiatives and informal support practices that draw on shared experiences, cultural resources, and collective forms of care. These practices usually remain outside the formal care system and are rarely recognized as potential building blocks for a more inclusive mental health care system. At the same time, international studies show that community-oriented and culturally congruent interventions, often based on peer and group support, hold great promise for promoting mental health in ethnic-cultural minority communities.
This project investigates how primary care psychologists and orthopedagogists, key figures from community networks and organizations, and people in these communities navigate between different resources and forms of mental health care. It maps existing grassroots (led by community actors and networks) and hybrid (at the intersection of informal and formal care ecosystems) initiatives and analyzes how these relate to formal care structures. By better understanding these practices and knowledge sources, the project aims to contribute to rethinking and diversifying mental health care, with a particular focus on community-oriented and culturally diverse forms of support.