| The mental health needs of East Africans have not been explored in mental health research. In addition, very little has been written regarding specific cultural concepts in the worldview of East Africans and how this perspective impacts mental health treatment. In this study, existing research is reviewed and incorporated into a foundation for understanding East African perceptions of mental health and treatment. Project ESSEA (Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea in Africa), a behavioral health project incorporating services based on an East African worldview, is offered as a model for providing mental health services for East Africans.;Evaluations of this project indicate that the ESSEA project paradigm is effective for providing mental health services to this group. Project ESSEA successfully provides mental health services by using holistic and culture specific techniques and strategies to supplement existing mental health services. Services are rooted in a recognition of and respect for the traditional East African definitions of mental illness, and combine both Western approaches with traditional religious approaches. The underlying philosophy of the paradigm is that in order to address an individual's behavioral healthcare needs, professionals must address the wide range of factors that can impact---positively or negatively---mental health and behavior.;The project is allied with four faith-based organizations that serve as gatekeepers and primary sources of outreach. These partnerships provide crucial legitimacy within the communities, and allow for the combined behavioral health spiritual approach that characterizes the project. The project has developed what may be the first set of culturally appropriate bilingual health and mental health educational materials for East African refugees and immigrants in the United States. The project has successfully educated East African community members on key behavioral issues. As a result of the community education forums, the project has successfully increased awareness regarding behavioral health issues.;The program evaluation provides evidence for the development of a mental health and treatment paradigm, which is culturally based, rather than grounded only in biology or psychology. |
