MENTAL HEALTH

International Medical Corps makes mental health care a priority in its emergency relief efforts by addressing the immediate psychosocial needs of communities struck by disaster and offering help to those with pre-existing mental health disorders.  Following the earthquake in Haiti, we have been prioritizing the health psychological development of children through programs that work with mothers, caretakers and children’s residential centers to create safe environments where children can learn, play and grow.  International Medical Corps has also recruited and trained 26 workers, including baby tent monitors, institutional support monitors and facilitators to provide psychosocial services in camps, children’s residential centers and earthquake-affected areas throughout Haiti.  In addition 630 doctors and nurses attended weekly mental health trainings.


Our protection programs focus on Haiti’s most vulnerable groups - orphans and at-risk children, victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and the physically disadvantaged and mentally ill. We trained doctors, nurses, and other health workers on SGBV awareness prevention and referral. We also trained 150 caretakers at children’s residential centers to improve children’s well-being, safety, and development - in addition to training 2,800 community members and 60 health personnel from the health ministry on disaster risk reduction