Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 2: Addressing mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies (33IC/19/R2) – Portuguese Red Cross

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
plan operativo

A nacional nivel

Explicación:

After more than 20 years, in 2023 the new Portuguese Mental Health Law came into force, a diploma that aimed to guarantee more rights and guarantees for people with mental health care needs.In fact, Portugal has an ongoing a Mental Health Reform based on three pillars: legislative, organizational and assistance. From a conceptual point of view, the Reform follows the principles and recommendations of the World Health Organization and the European Union.

As a NS, we absorbed it as a commitment/guideline to reinforce the social and humanitarian intervention of the Red Cross Network, also in the Mental Health domain. This is specially attained though strengthening the advocacy role of Portuguese RC as an influencer of national and European Public Policies, assisting and complementing public authorities, taking advantage of its unique nature, in order to meet the needs of the communities with which we work.

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
gobierno y/o autoridades públicas
CICR/Federación Internacional
asociados en los ámbitos humanitario y de desarrollo (por ejemplo, Naciones Unidas, organizaciones no gubernamentales)
mundo académico

Ejemplos de cooperación:

We reinforced the partnership with the Portuguese Psychology Board and with the Academic domain, which enabled us to set a sturdy scientific frame to our MHPSS activities, namely the CBMHPSS ones: by creating moments of formal Intervision and Supervision in our Portuguese RC network of psychologists.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, our NS is the only Institution officially recognized by The High Commissioner for Migration/Alto Comissariado para as Migrações, ACM (replaced now by the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum/Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo, AIMA) to carry out the transport of displaced people.

We enhanced our alliance with Aga Khan Foundation – Portugal, stepping in crisis management and intervention, building staff and beneficiaries capacity to cope with respective outcomes.

We improved the referral mechanisms to the Public National Health Services, refining them through the identification of focal points, mainly those related to specialized mental health care.

As a formal partner of the Portuguese Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality/Comissão para a Cidadania e a Igualdade de Género, CIG, with which we have an open communication channel, we embody its strategical and operational commitments, namely those manifested in the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination (2018-2030). We assure that every survivor of gender-based violence that is supported in Portuguese RC services has access to mental health services: focused psychosocial support, but mainly psychological support and specialized mental care.

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
recursos humanos
limitaciones de financiación

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

Most of the challenges refer with funding constraints, which per se are related with the lack of appropriate human resources, in a cause-effect perspective.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
formación y capacidad de los miembros del personal y de los voluntarios (en el caso de las Sociedades Nacionales);

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

We recognize that the mental health and psychosocial well-being of volunteers and staff responding, not only to humanitarian needs, but also to (other) emergencies, namely crisis events of multiple nature, can be affected as they are exposed to risks, working often under stressful conditions and in a concerted efforts that resulted in a strong synergy, we conceived and are conducting a Pilot in the Headquarters, specifically designed for MHPSS helpline providers – Collabōrāre, as a systemic and integrative response, based in 3 axes [preventing-training-problem solving] strategically designed to step up personal and professional resiliency, enable the providers with coping tools, increasing mental health literacy, empowering self-care and team bonds, which per se is a promoter for mental health and well-being.

It’s our aim to expand this Pilot to the local branches.

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?

Describa las repercusiones:

We keep strengthening our net, assuring that MHPSS framework is available to local communities through our local branches: 50% growth indicators. This allows to pledge our internal commitment “mental health care for all” which refers to our staff and volunteers, from the basic psychosocial support to specialized mental health care.

Athwart EU4HEALTH, we keep firming, not only our staff and volunteers, but also our local communities, in first responding to critical events, as agents with the ability to help someone in distress through a set of actions, allowing to build a trained and solid network of PFA and CBMHPSS providers all over Portuguese territory.