Introducing specialist integrated mental health care in Lebanon: the psychosis recovery outreach program

Abstract

The recognition of mental health needs in developing countries is growing in parallel with increased public awareness of and reduced stigma toward mental illness. With resources still limited in these countries, creating economically viable health care models is essential. These models are often adapted from already established and tested systems in industrialized nations. The Psychosis Recovery Outreach Program (PROP) at the American University of Beirut is an initiative that exemplifies the global transfer of knowledge, experience, and skills. Now in its second year, PROP provides specialist care to individuals with severe mental disorders in Lebanon by integrating psychiatry, psychology, nursing, and social work in a challenging social and cultural context.