An expanded meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Mental Health Protection and Psychological Assistance to Victims of the Armed Aggression of the russian federation was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and with the participation of First Lady Olena Zelenska.

The Head of Government recalled the theme of previous ICC meetings: a roadmap was developed, and the results of an audit of mental health needs and resources were analysed. The Prime Minister stressed that it was now necessary to determine what specific mechanisms could be used to strengthen the resilience of each individual and restore their mental health.

“The focus is on setting up services in communities. They are as close to the citizens as possible so that they can contribute effectively to their adaptation and socialisation. The role of regional administrations is equally important. It is very important to continue building a network of services and facilities that will implement our mental health programme,” said Denys Shmyhal.

The Government has launched a reform of medical and social expert commissions (MSECs) and military medical commissions (MMCs). The Prime Minister thanked the Verkhovna Rada for the two laws already passed, which would simplify the work of medical commissions for the military, veterans and wounded soldiers.

“Minimal bureaucracy, no queues in front of doctors’ offices, access to all public services. These are the results we expect from the reform of the military medical commissions and the medical and social expert commissions. We have already increased the number of medical commission offices. Electronic queues to the commissions have been launched in a test mode. The MSECs will be comprehensively reformed based on modern international standards. We must ensure that every person regains full functionality, the ability to take care of themselves and their loved ones,” the Prime Minister said.

The Head of Government thanked First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska for taking the initiative to develop a mental health programme, as well as to the UN, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, USAID, UNDP, and all those who have helped Ukraine to implement it.

The First Lady emphasised that it was only through collective action that tangible results could be achieved. Indeed, the mental health component is ubiquitous and equally important in the educational, social, security and defence, and cultural sectors.

“Mental health services should be close by – in a family doctor’s office, a school, an administrative service centre, a job centre, a tax office, the police, a social services centre, etc. And it should not only be close, but also flexible,” the First Lady added.

During the meeting, members of the Interagency Coordination Council were introduced to seven priority projects of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme. These are projects of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry for Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Following the meeting, the relevant ministries were tasked with approving the concepts of the priority projects and plans for their implementation. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Justice were also tasked with developing sectoral priority projects and presenting them at the next meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council.