HBT Disaster Response program’s critical component is ‘Mental Health Counseling.’ HBT’s Mental Health Counseling program delivers critical education and emotional first aid to victims, survivors and community members during disasters to alleviate the impact of disasters.
‘ASHA’ (Love & Care during Crisis), HBT’s mental health initiative provides psychosocial support to meet the psychological and social needs of individuals, families and communities. The psychotherapy model considers hopelessness to be the strongest contributing factor to suicidal ideation, and a large part of crisis intervention and post crisis counseling aims to restore hope.
The global pandemic COVID-19 and further lock down made people staying away from families (those who couldn’t go back home), lack of social contacts and loss of livelihoods a cause for mental stress and trauma.
Certified and experienced psycho-social counselors of ‘ASHA’ helpline provided counseling support over tele calls to COVID positive cases, stranded people, youth, elderly, children and women facing family conflicts and violence.
COVID-19 pandemic has caused stress and have impacted the well-being of frontline workers. They are experiencing higher than normal levels of occupational stress resulting in a range of associated consequences. Through standardized internationally adopted psycho-social assessment tool, the front line worker’s mental condition is assessed and accordingly the counseling support is provided.
During the pandemic 23649 clients were provided counselling support, including patients and COVID Warriors.