On March 25 at 10:00, an online round table was held on the topic: "The importance of suicide prevention during societal challenges: wars and the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizational experience".
The importance of suicide prevention during societal challenges: wars and the Covid-19 pandemic
According to WHO, about 800,000 people commit suicide every year, and every 40 seconds there is 1 suicide case on the planet. Ukraine is one of the European countries with the highest suicide rate among the population. The war in Eastern Ukraine has further exacerbated mental health problems among Ukrainians, particularly among the veteran community and their families. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health problems will only increase. The consequences of the pandemic increase the danger of suicide: isolation, instability, fear, risk of job loss, and reduced social activity. This requires a prompt response from mental health specialists and a comprehensive effort at the community level.
CETA psychological assistance program and national hotline Lifeline Ukraine
In order to respond to the mental health problems of veterans, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (USA), the IREX "Veteran Reintegration Program" implemented with financial support from the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, and together with local partners, implements psychological assistance and veteran reintegration programs, namely: the CETA psychological assistance program and the national hotline Lifeline Ukraine.
According to Oksana Varvarych, CETA trainer: "According to the 2016-2019 study, approximately 30% of the surveyed veterans and their family members may have suicidal thoughts of varying intensity. The study, started in 2020, is still ongoing, but the data for this indicator do not differ significantly. The CETA psychological assistance program has already proven its effectiveness in various countries around the world, including Ukraine. The clear safety protocol that all CETA consultants are trained in allows for identifying a person in crisis, organizing the necessary psychological support for them, and preventing suicide by a veteran or a family member."
"There is currently a steady deterioration in the mental state of the population. The CETA program has already become a ready and effective solution for our community, in particular, the psychologists of the City Centre for Support of ATO Veterans in Mykolaiv have been trained under this program and all psychological services for veterans are currently funded by the local budget." - noted Mykolaiv Deputy Mayor Anatolii Petrov.
Lifeline Ukraine
In 2019, Ukraine launched a national, professional, free, round-the-clock hotline on suicide prevention and mental health support for ATO/OOS veterans and their families, Lifeline Ukraine.
"Thanks to this project, veterans can receive professional psychological assistance in crisis situations anywhere in the country. As of March 25, 2021, Lifeline Ukraine has received 10,300 calls, amounting to 6,300 hours. On average, we receive two calls a day with a suicide threat," said Paul Niland, founder of Lifeline Ukraine.
"The most effective form of preventive work with veterans is psychoeducation. This has been proven by research worldwide. It is important for people to know about mental health and how stress and trauma affect the mind. Thanks to this, people will be more attentive to their condition and the condition of their loved ones," said Serhiy Bohdanov, director of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Center at NaUKMA, in response to participants' questions.
Round table results
During the roundtable, the experience of cooperation between the CETA program and the charitable organization Lifeline Ukraine to address mental health issues among veterans and their families and ways of effective psychological assistance to people in crisis was discussed. It is the comprehensive approach to suicide prevention in communities and active cooperation with public organizations that will ensure results in the future.
Round table organizers:
- The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Center of NaUKMA as part of the USAID project "Improving Mental Health Services for Torture Victims" (CETA Project);
- Lifeline Ukraine – a national, professional, free suicide prevention and mental health support hotline for ATO/OOS veterans and their families;
- Mykolaiv City Council.
The round table can be viewed on the CETA YouTube channel
