The Valencia regional government has agreed with associations representing victims of the dana disaster to create an emergency psychological intervention unit integrated into the public health system. The unit will provide specialist support from the moment a crisis occurs, serving affected individuals, their families and professionals exposed to high-impact situations.
The agreement was reached during the third session of the Permanent Working Group with dana victim and affected-persons associations. The meeting was attended by recovery commissioner Raul Merida, victim association representatives, and specialists in mental health and psychosocial care.
Merida said psychosocial care is a priority for the medium and long-term recovery of those affected. He stressed the importance of sustained attention to victims and said recovery must also include the psychological and social support needed to cope with the consequences of an emergency of this nature.
Training programme for local authorities and schools
A second agreement established a structured emergency training programme for municipal professionals, teachers, social services staff and community organisations. The programme aims to help participants identify warning signs, respond to emotional distress and prevent psychological damage from becoming chronic.
Mental Health and Addictions director general Bartolome Perez said the programme will receive dedicated funding from the Directorate General for Victim and Affected Persons Care, and will be developed in coordination with the regional ministries for education, culture, universities, emergencies and interior.
Perez also underlined the importance of strengthening territorial equity in access to psychosocial resources and improving coordination between administrations.
Broader review of mental health situation
The session also examined the current mental health situation of dana-affected people, available care resources, the needs of particularly vulnerable groups and medium and long-term requirements.
Officials presented actions taken by the regional government since the dana, including reinforcement of the public care network, the creation of specialist trauma units, psychological support programmes in schools and new resources for affected persons.
The meeting also included Jose Francisco Borja Ortiz, coordinator of the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Mental Health Units; Purificacion Parraga, technical lead of the adult psychosocial care programme at the Official College of Psychology of the Valencian Community; and Estrella Romero, head of the Children and Youth Psychosocial Care Programme at the Betania Association. A report on psychosocial intervention work under way in dana-affected municipalities was presented at the meeting.
