Lviv unveils mental health center for children affected by war

The UNBROKEN KIDS project in Lviv opened a children's mental health center where they can get help from psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other specialists, authorities report.

What is the problem?

No child in Ukraine has not been affected by the war to some extent. The stress experienced, if not dealt with, can lead to physical and mental health problems.

Children react to any traumatic event, and it takes a while to treat childhood trauma and its consequences. Thousands of Ukrainian kids have been treated at St. Nicholas Children's Hospital in Lviv during the war.

"Unfortunately, Russia has clearly shown that it is fighting very hard against children. Thousands of our wounded Ukrainians have passed through this hospital, and doctors here helped them recover and fought for their lives," said Andrii Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor.

What is the solution?

"The Children's Mental Health Center was opened as part of the UNBROKEN KIDS project at the St. Nicholas Children's Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv. Here, young patients affected by Russian aggression will receive free professional psychological support," the press release says.

Ivan Miskiv, head of the hospital, says the team of doctors always wanted to establish a mental health center as they had seen how well it worked with their colleagues at the St. Panteleimon Adult Hospital.

"It is important to have such a center within the structure of a multidisciplinary hospital. While a child is receiving surgical or trauma treatment, a therapist immediately starts working with him. This psychological support ends at the rehabilitation stage," said Miskiv.

How does it work?

The hospital chief said that colleagues helped open the children's center a lot.

The Lviv IT Cluster community funded all the costs of renovation work (over 300 square meters) for arranging a room for group classes, a sensory therapy room, six medical offices, and staff quarters.

The Lviv National Academy of Arts joined in arranging the space in the center.

"It is very pleasant and very touching that the mental health center has elements of art therapy, and the works of our students contribute to this general atmosphere and the process of rehabilitation," said Vasyl Kosiv, rector of the Lviv National Academy of Arts.

The center already employs ten therapists.

Children can receive comprehensive care, undergo group and sensory therapies, and attend individual counseling sessions. All services are free for them.