Solutions from Ukraine: 45 communities in Kirovohrad region establish psychological assistance hubs
Photo: open sources
Psychological hubs were created in 45 communities of the Kirovohrad region to provide free psychological assistance.
The regional coordinator of the All-Ukrainian mental health program, "How are you?" Oleksandr Kryshko reported this at a briefing.
What is the problem?
Unplanned migration, loss of homes, money, stable work, and, moreover, loved ones: the full-scale war affected all Ukrainians without exception.
Despite the fact that most citizens have already been able to adapt to the new conditions, this, although imperceptible in some places, still has a detrimental effect on the psyche.
Mental problems can aggravate a number of other chronic health problems in the population, in particular, cardiovascular and oncological diseases and the development of harmful habits and addictions.
What is the solution?
In 45 communities of the Kirovohrad region, psychological hubs were created to provide free psychological assistance.
How does it work?
Coordinator of the All-Ukrainian mental health program "How are you?" Oleksandr Kryshko
"We surveyed about 1,900 service providers and 2,800 people. These are those who received services in various fields: social protection, education, culture, sports, etc. Public organizations as well. Then we started mapping the service. Now, we have about "one and a half thousand service providers are specifically those who work in the field of mental health. Psychological hubs have been created in our region by order of the head of regional military administration in 45 communities out of 49," Kryshko said.
Professional psychologists, particularly school psychologists and other workers who have undergone appropriate training, are involved in the hubs' work.
Family doctors who undergo appropriate training according to the World Health Organization system are also actively involved.
"314 family doctors have undergone such training, and there are almost 700 medical workers in total, including family doctors, nurses, and other doctors who work in this system. Specialists who have undergone this training represent 35 communities. If add it to the psychological hubs, then we now have services covered in 48 out of 49 communities," the program coordinator added.
Currently, the program is not deployed in the Nadlatskyi community.
A psychological hub consists of several doctors who can identify psychological problems. A family doctor can also directly provide help or establish a diagnosis, or refer the patient to a psychologist or psychiatrist if necessary.
Kryshko noted that there is still a shortage of the service.
In 2024, the region plans to train trainers, who in turn will train psychologists. They are already conducting a corresponding questionnaire, gathering information about people who can provide such training.
For reference:
The mental health program "How are you?" was created on the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, concerning citizens' need for psychosocial support.
So far, several thousand people have already turned to trained family doctors.
"8,620 doctors in 865 primary care facilities provide mental health care services. This is more than a third of the total number, and the Ministry of Health plans to increase this number so that every patient throughout the country can receive psychological care if needed," the message says.
So, for next year, according to the Ministry of Health, almost 800 primary health care facilities are already waiting for a draft contract from the National Health Service for the provision of services within the package "Support and treatment of adults and children with mental disorders at the primary level of medical care."
Under this package, a patient (adult or child) can receive early diagnosis and basic psychological care free of charge. In particular, a family doctor, pediatrician, or therapist can conduct a mental state assessment and provide medical and psychological assistance to patients with mental disorders within the scope of their competence.
All doctors who provide services within this package have undergone special training.
As a reminder, a mobile application assessing a person's mental state is being tested in the Rivne region.
