Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Social Work and Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar. He is also an Affiliated Research Investigator with the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and a former Clinical Addiction Fellow at the BC Centre on Substance Use.
His research explores global mental health, addictions, psychosocial support, peacebuilding, and task-sharing in low- and middle-income countries. With over 20 years of clinical and leadership experience in East Africa, Canada, and the United States, Dr. Ibrahim brings a global perspective to his teaching and research on global health.

Selected Publications

• Ibrahim, M., Kato, F., Malik, M., & Salad, A. (accepted). Providing mental health service in Somalia: Post-humanitarian status. In S. Eltayeb, U. Heltne, & R. Dybdahl (Eds.), Resilience in the shadows: Psychological health of vulnerable refugees in Africa. Springer Nature.
• Baines, D., & Ibrahim, M. (accepted). Safe supply and harm reduction. In C. Fouche & L. Beddoe (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work. Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Ibrahim, M., Abdulwahab, S., Malik, S. M. M. R., Noor, Z., Cheng, F., Mohamed, M. O., & Ndithia, J. (2025). Training of front-line health workers in Somalia on mental health: A mixed-methods effectiveness study on the implementation of the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). Somali Health Action Journal, 5(1).
• Baines, D., & Ibrahim, M. (2025). Harm reduction in the opiate crisis: Non-carceral, community-led services and compassion. In I. Hyslop & B. Pease (Eds.), Abolition in social work and human services: Visions, possibilities and challenges. Policy Press.
• Josewski, V., Morrow, M., Warkentin, R., Ibrahim, M., & Cohen, A. J. (2024). British Columbia’s mental health system: Addressing systemic human rights issues. Studies in Social Justice, 18(3), 440–460. https://doi.org/10.26522/ssj.v18i3.4077
• Di Pierdomenico, K., Kamau, V., Ibrahim, M., Njenga, M., Morrow, M., & Warkentin, R. (2024). Mental health in Kenya: Tensions between human rights approaches and colonial care. Studies in Social Justice, 18(3), 515–532.
• Ibrahim, M. (2024). Medical returnees: Somali Canadians seeking psychosocial and spiritual care in East Africa. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-024-09869-1
• Ibrahim, M. (2023). Dhagan Celis (Cultural Rehabilitation): Somali Canadians’ transnational approach to youth substance use. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-023-01843-8
• Salad, A. M., Malik, S. M. M. R., Ndithia, J. M., Noor, Z., Madeo, M., & Ibrahim, M. (2023). Prevalence of mental disorders and psychological trauma among conflict-affected populations in Somalia: A cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1219992
• Ibrahim, M., & Mojab, F. (2023). Healing through faith: The role of spiritual healers in providing psychosocial support to Canadian Muslims. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 17(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.2057
• Ibrahim, M., Malik, M., & Noor, Z. (2022). Investing in mental health in Somalia: Harnessing community mental health services through task shifting. Global Mental Health, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2022.4
• Ibrahim, M., Rizwan, H., Afzal, M., & Malik, M. (2022). Mental health crisis in Somalia: A review and a way forward. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 16, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-022-00525-y

Selected Awards and Grants as Principal Investigator

Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar (2024 – 2029)
Project: Strengthening Mental Health in the Horn of Africa (IGAD Region) and Somalia (MH-Care)

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – Project Grant (2024 – 2028)
Project: Strengthening Mental Health Services through Enhancing the Capacity of Health Workers in Somalia (MH-Care Somalia)

UBC Arts Research Abroad Grant (2020 – 2026)
Project: Advancing Research and Experiential Learning in Global Mental Health

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) Grant (2020 – 2024)
Project: Targeted Education for Nurses and Social Workers to Improve Screening for Mental Health and Substance Use in Centralized Intake Services in Vancouver

New Frontiers in Research Fund (2024 – 2026)
Project: Evaluating Longitudinal Evidence for Using Health Incentives to Address and Treat Opioid Use Disorder Effectively (The ELEVATE Study)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Nadia Fairbairn

BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions – Seed Grant (2023 – 2025)
Project: Mental Health Crisis Response Indicators for British Columbia
Principal Investigator: Dr. Beth Snow

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – Insight Grant (2020 – 2024)
Project: Realizing Human Rights and Equity in Mental Health Services in Canada, Australia, and Kenya
Principal Investigator: Dr. Marina Morrow