First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska summed up the results of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How are you” for 2024, which is being implemented at her initiative.
First of all, the President's wife noted that two important documents were adopted this year: the Action Plan for 2024-2026 and the Target Model of the MHPSS System – a roadmap for everyone involved in the program.
“‘How are you?’ is growing not only in the healthcare sector, but also in the economy, education, sports, culture, information policy, and the security and defense sector. Priority projects implemented by the ministries are no longer limited to their sectors: each is part of an integrated pathway where the system supports a person from the point of contact throughout their life,” the First Lady said.
The priority in the healthcare sector is to bring services closer to people by involving family doctors, general practitioners and pediatricians. Over 114,000 primary care professionals have already been trained under the WHO mhGAP program and can provide mental health support. In total, they have received about half a million calls this year, mostly for anxiety, nervousness, and sleep disorders.
In addition, 23 mental health centers have been set up at cluster hospitals. More than 200 such centers are planned to be established next year.
In education, key priorities include reforming psychological services in educational institutions, integrating mental health care skills into curricula, and updating educational programs to meet current realities. This year, nearly 210,000 teachers have undergone special training as part of the “How are you?” program to be able to provide mental health support to students.
The Lessons of Happiness project (a Ukrainian adaptation of the American Well-Being course) is also being implemented. The lessons will be introduced in pilot regions starting in January.
In the social policy sector, 184,000 requests were recorded. More than 5,000 social workers are able to provide relevant services.
In addition, 185 resilience centers operate in different regions of Ukraine, where more than half a million consultations, trainings, and meetings of various mutual support groups were held this year.
Security sector. 89% of personnel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were trained in first psychological assistance. The Ministry has developed an algorithm for support and assistance in crisis and emergency situations, introduced a functional subsystem “Social and Legal Protection of Victims and Their Families” and created the “Psychological Practice Center” project to support the mental health of victims and their families.
Services in the place of residence: regional coordination of “How are you?”
All regions have developed and are implementing their Action Plan for 2024-2026 to realize the Concept of Mental Health Development in Ukraine. This year, regional teams were strengthened with consultants, including health and social care managers, psychologists and psychotherapists, project managers from the non-governmental sector, teachers, and doctors.
In addition, 16 days of cooperation were held in the regions, involving 220,000 Ukrainians.
“Ukraine is fighting not only against the attacker, but also for each one of its people. For their preservation and development. This also means fighting for their mental well-being, for the ability to live through and overcome any experience and find new strength. Throughout 2024, the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How are you?” contributed to this. Thousands of people of different professions acquired mental health support skills to help others, ensuring this support is timely and accessible,” Olena Zelenska said.
The “How are you?” communication campaign and tools available to everyone
The main goals of the “How are you?” communication campaign are to develop skills for restoring internal resources and increasing psychological resilience.
In particular, the Psychological Self-Help Kit contains exercises for children and adults with proven effectiveness. Along with a number of other “How are you?” products, it is available for download on the platform of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program.
Among the unique tools is the animated comic “Dan and Rora vs. Corporation S…” featuring self-help techniques for teenagers in an engaging format.
In addition, the Coordination Center for Mental Health under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has developed guidelines for teachers on conducting self-help exercises with students in shelters during air raid warnings as part of the Olena Zelenska Foundation's project to rebuild and equip shelters in schools and kindergartens.
A separate area of work is the rules for respectful interaction with people who have experienced war. Experts have created a number of products, including an educational series, and in September, “How are you?” launched communication on resilience.
“For decades, our society has been taught that complaining about one's psycho-emotional state is not dignified, that one should 'endure' their emotions, 'keep them inside'. We must overcome this,” Olena Zelenska stressed.
Cooperation for mental well-being at the international level
In May, the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva adopted a resolution on mental health initiated by Ukraine and the Netherlands with the support and co-sponsorship of WHO member states. Countries agreed to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into emergency response systems.
During the fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, the mental health challenges faced by children and adolescents were discussed. A survey of parents and children in 15 countries was conducted specifically for this event.
In October, the report of the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on mental health in Ukraine was presented in Geneva. Leading experts from 12 countries developed recommendations for improving the Ukrainian mental health system. They are fully aligned with the principles of the vision document “Target Model of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support System” presented by the Mental Health Coordination Center in June. Based on the target model, the draft law “On the Mental Health Care System in Ukraine” was prepared and supported by the Verkhovna Rada in the first reading.
In addition, on October 30, the European Commission released a report on Ukraine's progress towards the EU, noting the importance of changes in the field of mental health and referencing the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program.
“I am grateful to every country that supports Ukraine in its struggle not only against the Russian aggressor, but also for its people and their mental well-being. Belgium, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Sweden… “How are you?” so actively studied the experience of others while creating its own approach, which is already part of the global discourse,” Olena Zelenska concluded.