The torrential rain disaster in western Japan in July 2018 caused extensive damage over a wide area, including Hiroshima, Okayama, and Ehime prefectures. A large number of houses were damaged, and many disaster victims were forced to live as evacuees for a long period of time.

Mental health care is needed not only for victims but also for support staff

Long-term evacuation life can be mentally and physically exhausting. In order to respond to the situation of such victims, the Red Cross is not only providing medical relief and relief supplies, but is also focusing on “mental health care.
Keiko Akiyama, a clinical psychologist at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, was one of the members of an assessment team that went to Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, an area hit by the torrential rains in western Japan.

Invisible psychological damage tends to take a backseat. In order to alleviate such psychological burden, she worked face to face with each disaster victim in the field.
Mr. Akiyama was particularly concerned about the psychological health of the government employees who were directly dealing with the disaster victims.
The staff members are also victims living in the disaster area. It is important to provide mental health care to the employees who support the residents without regard for themselves or their families.

Masato Shinohara, Director of the Elk River Hijikawa Area Reconstruction Support Department and Branch Manager of Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, recalls, “The first few months after the disaster were like a nightmare,” he recalls.
The employees who responded to the disaster in cramped rooms with phones ringing constantly were also victims of the disaster, and they worked tirelessly for the residents while worrying about their flooded homes. I realized that the “mental health care” provided by the JRCS is also necessary for government workers.

Training local supporters also plays an important role.

Akiyama says that “mental health care” has another important role to play in addition to taking care of victims. It is also important to preserve the philosophy and customs of the community so that people can support each other in the community as well.

One person who puts this into practice is Mari Nakai, a clinical psychologist at Ise Red Cross Hospital. As a member of the “Mental Care” team, Ms. Nakai also went to the disaster area to advise elementary school teachers on how to treat children.
There is no “right” way to talk to a child who is emotionally traumatized. I tell the teachers that it is important to understand the stress signs and support methods of children as early as possible, as they are unique depending on their age.
Medical supporters will leave the affected areas at some point. The “Mental Health Care” team's important role is to provide local residents with specialized knowledge so that they can continue to support disaster victims even after they leave their posts.
The role of the “Kokoro no Kea” activities will continue to expand in response to the needs of the affected areas and will become more and more indispensable in the future.