Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor and Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar in the School of Social Work and Associate Faculty in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. He is also an affiliated Research Investigator with the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and a former Clinical Addiction Fellow at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use.

His research program focuses on global mental health, addiction, implementation science, and health systems strengthening, with particular emphasis on improving equitable access to evidence-informed mental health services in low- and middle-income countries and other resource-constrained settings. His scholarship examines task-sharing and task-shifting approaches, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), community-based service delivery, health workforce development, and the integration of mental health into primary healthcare. Working in partnership with governments, communities, and international organizations, his research generates evidence to strengthen equitable, contextually responsive, and sustainable mental health systems.

Dr. Ibrahim teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in health, mental health, and addiction. His teaching draws on more than two decades of clinical practice, research, and health systems leadership across East Africa, Canada, and the United States. Prior to joining UBC, he held clinical and leadership roles within the Kenya public health system and worked extensively in humanitarian and conflict-affected settings in Somalia and Kenya. He also has extensive clinical experience providing mental health and substance use services in both hospital and community settings in Canada and United States.

Through his research, teaching, and international collaborations, Dr. Ibrahim advances evidence-informed policies and implementation strategies that strengthen mental health systems and improve health equity for underserved and marginalized populations globally.

Education

• PhD in Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Canada
• Graduate Certificate in Global Mental Health, Harvard University, United States
• Clinical Addiction Fellowship, British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, University of British Columbia, Canada
• Master of Social Work (MSW), Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, United States
• Higher National Diploma in Mental Health, Kenya Medical Training College, Kenya
• Registered Nurse (RN), Kenya Medical Training College, Kenya

Selected Awards and Grants awarded 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)
Health Research BC Scholar Award

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 Mental Health and Substance Use Intake Services in Vancouver

Selected Grants awarded as Co-Investigator

New Frontiers in Research Fund (2024–2026)
Project: Evaluating Longitudinal Evidence for Using Health Incentives to Address and Treat Opioid Use Disorder Effectively (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

Research Affiliations

• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute — Affiliated Research Investigator
• British Columbia Centre on Substance Use — Advisory Committee Member, Social Work Clinical Addiction Fellowship
• Eviance (formerly the Canadian Centre for Disability Studies) — Research Board Member
• School of Public Health and Research, Somali National University — Visiting Professor

Kato, F., Chong, S., & Ibrahim, M. (In press). Clinician experiences with a GAIN-SS adapted mental health and substance use screener in a community mental health setting in British Columbia, Canada. Substance Use and Addiction Journal.

Ibrahim, M., Kato, F., Malik, M., & Salad, A. (2026). 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.

Ibrahim, M., Salad, A. M., Malik, S. M. M. R., Noor, Z., Mohamed, M. O., Cheng, F., Abdulwahab, S., & Ndithia, J. (2026). Prevalence and patterns of substance use in conflict-affected settings: Findings of a cross-sectional study from south-central Somalia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1729539

Baines, D., & Ibrahim, M. (2026). Safe Supply and Harm Reduction. In C. Fouché & L. Beddoe (Eds.), Elgar Encyclopedia of Social Work. Edward Elgar Publishing.

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.

Ibrahim, H., Mutie, J., Ibrahim, M., Ronning, A. M., & Gille, M. (2025). “It Has Been a Breath of Fresh Air”: Participants’ perception of the impact of self-reliance intervention among urban refugees. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies.

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).

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.

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.

Ibrahim, M. (2023). Dhagan Celis (Cultural Rehabilitation): Somali Canadians’ transnational approach to youth substance use. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

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.

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).

Ibrahim, H. A., & Ibrahim, M. (2022). Conflict resolution and peacebuilding: Social work practice in humanitarian settings. Journal of Social Work Education and Practice, 7(2), 1–13.

Ibrahim, M., Malik, M., & Noor, Z. (2022). Investing in mental health in Somalia: Harnessing community mental health services through task shifting. Global Mental Health.

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.

Ibrahim, H., Magu, S., & Ibrahim, M. (2021). To starve or catch COVID-19? Emergency management of a public health crisis and its impact on economically distressed communities. Journal of Sociology and Social Work.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_pCGWYcAAAAJ

Areas of Scholarship: Global mental health; refugee and newcomer health; decolonizing mental health systems; mental health and human rights; addiction and harm reduction; implementation science; health systems strengthening in low- and middle-income, humanitarian, and conflict-affected settings.

Areas of Practice: Interdisciplinary mental health and substance use care; harm reduction; community-based mental health practice; task-sharing and workforce capacity-building; culturally responsive and equity-oriented care.