Providing Psychosocial Support through Training, Information Sharing, and Capacity Building

1. Providing Psychosocial Support through Training, Information Sharing, and Capacity Building

2. Providing Psychosocial Support through Training, Information Sharing, and Capacity Building in Japan Dr. Inka Weissbecker, PhD, MPH Global Mental Health and Psychosocial Advisor International Medical Corps

3. Response to the Japan Disaster • International Medical Corps Emergency Response Team arrived March 13th • Mental health and psychosocial support identified as urgent need • Response coordinated with national authorities and local coordination bodies

4. Dissemination of best practices and guidelines IMC Response: • Distributed IASC guidelines in Japanese (over 12 organizations, more than 482 people). • Funded translation requested by Japanese National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of IASC MHPSS guidelines for the health sector • Organized workshops on IASC guidelines for Japanese mental health workers together with NIMH Challenge: Best practices in MHPSS often not known or overlooked in emergencies

5. Psychological First Aid is… Recommendedfor helpers (e.g. relief workers) in conflict and crisis situations A non-intrusive way of providing psychosocial support which teaches: • Doing no harm • Normal reactions to stress and loss • Listening in a supportive way • Coping strategies • Ways of linking people to needed services including specialized referral for those experiencing severe distress • Staff self-care

6. Training in Psychological Fist Aid IMC Response: • Provided Training of Trainers for our local partner organization TELL in PFA and adapted PFA training to local context • Trained 85 phone counselors from TELL and other organizations in PFA • Disseminated PFA handouts to five major relief organizations working in Japan (reaching over 4,000 people) Challenge: Disaster responders often lack knowledge of how to respond to distress of affected population

7. Outcomes from PFA Training Evaluation • Trainee scores on several dimensions of perceived competency in assisting those experiencing distress significantly increased post training • Trainees reported higher awareness of community empowerment, doing no harm, protection issues and self-care after training • International Medical Corps continues supporting local partners in scale up of PFA in Japan