NATO Medical Conference 2009 30.09. - 02.10. 2009 Lisboa – Estoril, Portugal

1. NATO Medical Conference 200930.09. - 02.10. 2009 Lisboa – Estoril, Portugal Psychological Support for Mental Health in Times of Crisis within a Strategic Framework for Life-long Learning Vivienne Soyková First Faculty of Medicine & FTS of CTU in Prague, Czech Republic

2. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Goals of the presentation: Contribution of psychology to: • systematic psycho-educational approaches to crisis preparedness (focus: crises in human life) • supporting documents and legislation that are compatible with the European System of National Educational Programmers in the field of Crisis Preparedness (further on just CP)

3. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Goals of the presentation(continue): Open a discussion on specific questions: • Systematic contribution of professional psychologists specialized in Crisis Preparedness • Proposal to establish non-binding guidelines as a support for psycho-educational processes on national levels /by means of ad hoc working group/

4. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Crisis Preparedness is a challenge on thenational, regional and international level. Since the beginning of the 21st century the conception of crisis preparedness has become deeper, broader and more sofisticated; (due to the informational boom, the incidence of disasters, and also world wide emphasis on the individual taking responsibility for himself/herself). Emphasis on psychological aspects of education, which are specific for each bio-socio-cultural group has to be accented.

5. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Practical implications of Crisis Preparedness: • allarrangements have to be effective,sophisticated, systematically established and thoroughly worked out, aimed at saving lives and suffering reduction; • they also have to provide psychological support, and mitigate the impact of crises on the mental health of involved citizens; • recommendation: education processes for CP needs to be harmonized.

6. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Psychology in the field of Crisis Preparedness could offer: • Timely and high-quality response by professional psychologists. • A comprehensive i n f o r m a t i o n s e r v i c e, in support of public awareness. • Systematic approaches for specific areas in the CP educational processes. (close harmonization is desirable)

7. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Factorsto be included in the educational processes in support of mental health in the time of crisis/emergency SUPPORTFAMILY PERSONALITY COPINGHISTORYOTH.LIFE STYLEEVENTS intrusive memories OTH.LIFE PASTPERSONALITY EVENTS EXPERIENCE BIOLOGICAL TRAITS ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE (source: Kolk, McFarlane, Weisaeth, ed.: Traumatic Stress) PSYCHOLOGIAL DISORDER TRAUMA

8. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Psychological considerations: • Top priority must be given to people exposed to a critical situation(as well as all kinds of emergencies). • Extention of synergetic support for quality of life during a crisis or emergency. • A systematic approachis essential in all kinds education on CP – conditio sine qua non • Professional psychologists should supervise theinputof psychology for all national study programmes during the accreditation processes (with accent on skills)

9. SITUATION task, solving problem ACTIVITY MOTIVATION S K I L L S HABITS KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE ABILITY By psychological means - H O W: finding out, thinking, learning by training – exercise and practice NATO Medical Conference 2009 Model: Skills training for crisis preparedness from the psychological point of view:

10. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Supporting documents (non-NATO documents): • LLL Strategy – on EU level and on National levels • EU and National Implementation Plans for LLL • National´s Framework „Conceptions for protecting citizens“ • EU document No.9976/09 - Council Conclusions on Civil Protection Awareness Raising • UN – Disaster Preparedness for Effective Response; Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-15: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disaster

11. NATO Medical Conference 2009 • Supporting documents (cont.): • WHO Health 21, many editions; • The Tallinn Charter: Health Systems or Health and Wealth (http://www.euro.who.int/document/E91438.pdf), 05.12.2008 • UN Development Programme. Millennium Development Goals(http://www.undp.org/mdg/basic.shtml) 28.10.2008 • Declaration and Action Plan of MH for Europe • EUR/04/5047810/6+7 from 14.01.2005 • Declaration of Psychosocial Rights – Guiding Principles – Call to Action by WADEM,May15,2009, Victoria,Canada

12. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Way ahead: • on a national level it is necessary to support the development of a Crisis Preparednessinformation systemwithin a Strategic Framework for Life-long Learning including specific educational programmesfor: • emergency workers, officials and volunteers and • dissemination and preparedness training for citizens

13. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Factors in Crisis Preparedness Considerations to be emphasized in support of mental health • Psycho-pedagogical aspects of learning • National legislation and documents in tailor-made programmes for: • Emergency workers and volunteers • Decision-makers and Crisis Managers • Groups of citizens (regarding psycho-social aspects)

14. NATO Medical Conference 2009 • Education in Crisis Preparedness: • A goal-oriented education process within the frameworkof Life–long Learning for all • *professionals(in the framework of career development), • and also for*volunteers and for citizens • * for professionals and for volunteers within • the framework of staff management approaches aimed at specific achievements • (participants will learn to achieve targets underpressure, • and will develop their ability to deal with stress)

15. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Education in Crisis Preparedness (continue): the education process will include for everyone: knowledge components and skillstraining both with feedback.

16. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Chart of the process of adopting skills Real-life adoption of Crisis Preparedness skills Ideal adoption of Crisis Preparedness skills Regulation of the skill adopting processes Regulation by the skill adoptingprocesses

17. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Teaching methodology in the environment of informational boom is mostly oriented on broad range of knowledge, on transmission and validation. For Crisis Preparedness and also in support of mental health in times of crisis educational approaches have to be tailor-made for skills training and based on forming crisisactivity habits

18. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Definition of Lifelong learning, also known as LLL: The "lifelong, lifewide, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. As such, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship and personal development, but also competitiveness and employability. The term recognises that learning is not confined to childhood …or the classroom, but takes place throughout life and in a range ofsituations. During the last fifty years, constant scientific and technological innovation and change has had a profound effect on learning needs and styles. Learning can no longer be divided into a place and time to acquire knowledge (school) and a place and time to apply the knowledge acquired (the workplace). (Source:Wikipedia & Act)

19. NATO Medical Conference 2009 CP is waiting for a new challange: Until now, psychological teaching methodology for crisis preparedness within the framework of Life-long Learning processes have not sufficiently recognized that: „verba movent, exempla trahunt“ =words move, but examples pull this means that psychological processes have not yet taken full advantage of skills training Comment: in civilian education,skills training and practicing of skills have until now featured mainly in sports education, requalification coursesandapprenticeship studies.

20. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Vision for our future – step by step approach :

21. NATO Medical Conference 2009 Thank you for your attention and questions Vivienne Soyková vi@musilek.net +420 606 487 487