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Transcript of Psychosocial support in emergencies - Basic principles - Awareness raising module for Health ERU...
Psychosocial support in emergencies - Basic principles -
Awareness raising module for Health ERU staff
Definitions of psychosocial support
“Any type of local or outside support that aims to protect or promote psychosocial well-being and/or prevent mental disorder”
(IASC Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support)
“Psychosocial support is a process of facilitating resilience within individuals, families and communities. Through respecting the independence, dignity and coping mechanisms of individuals and communities, psychosocial support promotes the restoration of social cohesion and infrastructure”
(IRFC Psychosocial Framework)5
Aim of psychosocial support in emergency settings
•To assist affected people and communities in their collective recovery
•This means assisting them to Regain a sense of
normality Restore hope and dignity Improve psychological and
social well-being Attain a stable life and
integrated functioning
Physical reactions Emotional reactions Behavioural reactions
Physical pain, e.g. headache or aches in stomach
Feelings of fear and anxiety Change in temperament
Shortness of breath Loss of energy and motivation
Estrangement from friends and family
Tightness in chest Inability to make decisions, concentrate, remember
Apathy, inability to work
Disturbed sleep or nightmares
Feelings of numbness or detachment
Lost faith and spirituality
Fatigue or exhaustion Strong emotional reactions, e.g. anger, irritability, sadness
Loss of interest in care of family and self
Abdominal discomfort Hopelessness or helplessness
Change in interest in food or pleasure
Commonly recognised symptoms and reactions of stress
The nature and origin of psychosocial problems
Social problems include Psychological problems include
Pre-existing problems
Belonging to a group that is discriminated against or marginalised; political oppression
Severe mental disorder; depression, alcohol abuse
Emergency-induced problems
Family separation; disruption of social networks; destruction of livelihoods, community structures, resources and trust
Grief, non-pathological distress; alcohol abuse; depression and anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Humanitarian aid-induced problems
Undermining of community structures or traditional support mechanisms; exclusion due to lack of access to services
Anxiety due to a lack of information about food distribution; aid dependency
Ensuring protection from further harm
Potentially vulnerable groups:• Women • Men• Children• Elderly• Those who are mentally ill
Always verify during assessment who are the vulnerable group/s
Key tools and resources
• Inter-Agency Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies (2007)
• Sphere Handbook (2004 edition) pp. 291-294
• ERU Psychosocial support component – Delegate manual and Resource folder
Sphere social indicators - 1
• Access to Information• Maintain normal cultural and religious events• Formal or informal schooling for children and
recreational activities (safe places)• Participation in concrete, purposeful activities• Shelter for displaced, with the aim of keeping
families and communities together
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Sphere social indicators - 2
• Special attention to facilitate social networks for isolated persons – orphaned children, – child combatants, – Widows and widowers, – elderly
• Tracing services, reunite families• Consult the community
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Sphere psychological indicators
• Psychological First Aid to individuals that experience acute mental distress
• Referral of urgent psychiatric complaints to primary health care system (if available)
• Ensure continuation of treatment of individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disorders
• In case of protracted emergency take steps to develop a more comprehensive range of community-based psychological interventions for the post-disaster phase
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Group work – option A
Psychosocial effects of disasters• Read through the report that your group is being
given• Discuss the possible psychosocial consequences of
this particular emergency• Report back to plenary describing your
understanding of the situation and what would be the suitable ERU psychosocial interventions
Psychosocial role plays• Read through the role play that your group is being
assigned• Assign the roles to group members• Play through the role play – do not try to act but be
the role• Provide feedback to other group as assigned by
instructor
Group work – option B
Background• Previous ERU deployments have
shown high numbers of patients presenting multiple somatic complaints
• Very little possibility to assist this group in the ERU context
• The Federation has wished to address this issue through the establishment of a psychosocial support component for inclusion in the health ERU
ERU psychosocial support component
Limitations
What the psychosocial component and its delegate/volunteers will NOT do
• Perform mental health triage• Engage in treatment of psychiatric disorders• Counselling conducted by volunteers• Deal with stress or psychological problems of ERU
staff
1. Three psychosocial kits 2. Information education and communication
materials3. Manual for delegates and training purposes4. Training requirements for health ERU staff
ERU Psychosocial support component
1. Establishment of three kits
1. Play and activity items for children aged zero to six years old
2. Play and activity items for children aged six to 18 years old
3. Training kit to enable facilitation of trainings, workshops and group activities
Complete items overview brochure lists all items in kits
3. Delegate manual
• Provides background and supports the work of the delegate as described in the job description
• Enables the implementation of ERU psychosocial support component and contains training programmes for volunteers
• Draft version - the manual will be finalised based on feedback and field testing
• To be harmonised with and integrated into the package of ERU manuals
4. Training requirements for ERU staff
Two-tier approach developed
1. General orientation and practical exercise for all health ERU staff (three hours)
2. In-depth training for ERU psychosocial delegates (three days)
Tier 2 - Pilot training workshop
• 3-day workshop held in Oslo in February• 19 participants - five National Societies + one
Federation delegate• All potential psychosocial delegates with field
experience• Aim of training
To convey key messages and practise modes of intervention for future delegates
To test the materials and approaches developed-
Role of psychosocial delegate
The overall task of the psychosocial delegate • Set up the psychosocial component where appropriate in
the vicinity of the ERU• Interface with ERU colleagues, agree on modes of
collaboration• Take part in health assessment activities with specific
focus on psychosocial issues• Assess existing mental health and psychosocial resources • Interact with Host National Society to identify volunteers
• Facilitate training of volunteers in psychological first aid and emotional support
• Instruct volunteers on how to organise games and play activities for children
• Launch psychosocial activities• Organise outreach activities• Inform ERU team members on psychosocial issues • Liaise with local health authorities, WHO, UNICEF and
others • Continuously asses, monitor and evaluate needs and
activities
Role of psychosocial delegate
Delegate role – key features
Delegate must possess • communication skills necessary to enable close
collaboration with community leaders • pedagogical skills to transfer knowledge and skills to
community volunteers who will conduct most of the activities
• holistic public health oriented approach to health in emergencies and related sectors
• a the view that culture, belief systems, established habits, attitudes, behaviour, and religion are to be respected and leveraged to facilitate improvements in the health of the public