A mental health center of the nationwide RETURNING (ukr.ПОВЕРНЕННЯ) network, founded by Victor and Olena Pinchuk, has begun operating in Kremenchuk. Here, 4,000 service members, male and female veterans, and members of their families will be able to receive free professional psychological and psychiatric care annually.
The RETURNING project is an example of successful cooperation between the private sector and the state, in which philanthropists establish comfortable and barrier-free mental health centers within state and municipal medical institutions, ensuring access to free professional care.
“Fear of judgment and prejudice still force many people to remain silent about their psychological difficulties and postpone seeking help. That is why we are developing the RETURNING network, where everyone can receive professional support without fear of stigmatization. It is important for us to change not only the accessibility of care but also society's attitude toward mental health. After all, taking care of mental health should be as natural and important as taking care of physical health,” said Svitlana Grytsenko, Head of the RETURNING project.
The project funded a major renovation of the premises of one of the city's key medical institutions. The RETURNING center features rooms for individual and family care, a group therapy room, a two-bed day hospital ward, a treatment room, a reception area, and a waiting area. The space meets accessibility requirements, including wide doorways, the absence of thresholds, non-slip flooring, and accessible restrooms.
The RETURNING center is equipped with modern equipment, including the innovative Shiftwave System for psychological relaxation and stress management, art therapy materials, psychological games, sensory support tools, and multimedia equipment. Specialists have also been provided with a professional library of 50 books
A multidisciplinary team works with visitors, including a physician-psychologist, psychiatrists, a clinical psychologist, a psychologist, nurses, and a registrar. When necessary, a veteran support specialist and a hospital social worker are also involved.
Specialists help people overcome the effects of stress, anxiety and depressive conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adaptation difficulties, and other mental health disorders. They use evidence-based methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-oriented therapy, and provide individual, family, and group consultations. Medication is prescribed when necessary. Care is provided on an outpatient basis or at patients' places of residence.
“For service members and veterans of Kremenchuk and the region, the opening of the center is, first and foremost, an opportunity to receive professional care close to home. Our multidisciplinary team comprehensively assesses each person's condition and selects an individual approach to treatment. We work with various consequences of experiences related to the war, paying particular attention to confidentiality, safety, and trust. It is important that everyone who needs support knows that care is accessible, professional, and free of charge,” said Artem Chernyshov, Head of the RETURNING Center in Kremenchuk.
Today, the nationwide RETURNING network comprises 18 centers operating in Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, Kremenchuk, Kropyvnytskyi, Lutsk, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv, as well as within one of the medical institutions of the National Guard of Ukraine. During the first stage of the project, at least 25 centers are planned to open across Ukraine, which will be able to provide support to more than 100,000 service members, veterans, and members of their families annually.
Center address: 80 Lesi Ukrainky Avenue, 4th floor, Kremenchuk, Municipal Non-Profit Medical Enterprise “Kremenchuk Intensive Care Hospital”. Contact phone number: +380 (63) 104-45-29. Email: [email protected]
Other news:
Ukrainian Mental Health Professionals Take Part in Study Visit to the United Kingdom as Part of RETURNING
The 17th Mental Health Center in the RETURNING Network Begins Operations at a National Guard of Ukraine Medical Facility
The 16th Mental Health Center in the RETURNING Network Opens in the Kyiv Region
An Ecosystem of Mental Health Care: What Was Discussed at the RETURNING Network Conference?
