Matthew Stearns 

Claire Whitney

There is a mental health crisis in Ukraine, where approximately one-third of the population is suffering with mental health disorders—a situation that will linger for years to come, even if the war were to end tomorrow. International Medical Corps has a long history of providing mental health and psychosocial support services in conflict zones and has been working throughout Ukraine since the Russian invasion of February 2022 to integrate these services into all the other services they provide, an approach that is necessary and effective in societies like Ukraine, where seeking mental health assistance is often stigmatized. They are also working closely with government initiatives (including the Ukrainian First Lady’s “Are You Okay?” initiative), local health facilities, and local NGOs to ensure that their services and training programs are customized for local settings. 