Expectations are raised out among participants in the workshop on “Psychosocial Care for the affected people with Disasters” organized by Caritas CCAMH program from 8-10th February, 2010. Common expectations are to gain more experience from the resource person and participants, to know how to do psychosocial care/intervention to the affected people by disasters, learning on the success experience in dealing with the problem and how to educate and consult with the disasters victims in a short term and long term period and so on.

Based on the organizer, the main objective of the workshop is to sensitize participants to understand about psychosocial care/intervention for the Disaster affected people. The workshop is facilitated by CCAMH team with the resource person from Dr. Srikala Barath, Professor from NIMHANS, Bangalore, India, who has more than 20 years experience in the field and has developed a manual to work with the disasters affected people.

Dr. Bhoomikumar, CCAMH’s program director begins the session by saying that this important workshop is in line with Caritas Asia strategic plan. Big population in the world especially in Asia has been suffered by the disasters for example the recent earthquake in Hati….. He stressed that it is not balancing between less improvement/development and big destruction by disasters. Therefore, we all as the development and field operation workers need to take more concrete actions in helping the victims by any possible means.

Participants commit to take this experience and gained knowledge to implement in their target community. For instance, Youth Development Program   manager,     Ms. Sary Phirm , she will transfer knowledge to the youth group at her center based in Kandal province. She believes that they are strong agent of transferring this to other youth group and families.

Dr. Kim Savurn, chief of Mental Health Bereau, from the Ministry of Health shared briefly of his PowerPoint presentation of government intervention in collaboration with Caritas’s CCAMH program towards the Typhoon Ketsana affected families in Kampong Thom province. The program is to do screening on the crisis and look at the intervention for those who need psychosocial care According to the assessment study, 70% are suffering from mild to moderate form of Anxiety and depression spectrum disorders.

The 3 days workshop is conducted at Caritas National office and totally 26 participants are in attendance. They are program directors, managers and officers from Caritas’ regional offices, CCAMH team, Battambong Catholic Church, Psychologist consultant and students.

In overall, the 3 days workshop will include the following focused points. First day would focus on Type of disaster, its relevancy and reaction. How to take intervention to help the vulnerable group such as children , women, the elder people….is the concentration of the second day and developing a activity plan will be the outcome of the third day.