Access to Services — Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies

By Dr. Ravi Parkash, Psychiatrist & Founder, Manodarpan Wellness

Every time catastrophe strikes — whether it is a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake, a health emergency like a pandemic, or a human-made crisis such as conflict or forced displacement — the immediate focus is on physical safety, shelter, food, and emergency medical needs. These are of course vital. But what is often neglected, yet equally urgent, is mental health. The World Mental Health Day theme for 2025—“Access to Services — Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies”—spots precisely this gap. It reminds us that psychological well-being cannot be a luxury during emergencies; it is essential, urgent, and a right.

Why mental health suffers so severely in emergencies

- Widespread distress: Almost everyone affected by catastrophes experiences psychological distress—fear, grief, loss, anxiety, uncertainty. According to the WHO, nearly all people in emergency settings will have some form of psychological reaction.
- Pre-existing vulnerabilities get magnified: Those who already had mental health conditions, those living in poverty, marginalized communities, displaced persons, children, older adults—all these groups face compounded hardships. Emergencies often disrupt what little support they already had.
- Systems break down: Infrastructure is damaged, health services disrupted, supply chains for medicines can fail, health personnel may be overwhelmed or themselves victims. As a result, even basic mental health services become hard to reach.

What “access to mental health services” means in catastrophes

Access is more than just services being declared “available.” It involves:

1. Timeliness: Help must reach people early — psychological first aid, supporting acute distress, ensuring people are informed where to get help. Slowness causes suffering to deepen.
2. Relevance and acceptability: Services need to be culturally sensitive, adapted to the local context. What counts as acceptable mental health care in urban Chandigarh may differ from that in rural villages. Language, beliefs, stigma all matter.
3. Equity: Vulnerable people – children, older adults, people with disabilities, displaced populations – must not be left out. Services must be affordable (or free), reachable (even in remote or disaster-affected zones), and usable (low literacy / low resource friendly).
4. Continuity: It’s not enough to respond in the short term. Emergencies often have long aftershocks: PTSD, prolonged grief, loss of livelihoods. Mental health services must be sustained even after the immediate crisis passes.
5. Integrated systems: Rather than creating completely separate mental health programs, integrating mental health and psychosocial support into primary health care, community health, schools, social services, etc., increases accessibility and reduces stigma.

Practical examples & lessons from the field

- In many countries affected by disasters, prioritizing community-based mental health care has led to better access. Training non-specialist health workers (e.g. general practitioners, nurses, community volunteers) to identify distress, provide basic psychosocial support, and make referrals helps scale services.
- UNICEF has often set up safe spaces for children, peer support groups, structured recreational activities after disasters. These interventions help mitigate long-term impacts on children’s emotional and social development.
- Some countries have used emergencies as an opportunity to build back better mental health systems. For example, after a tsunami, many affected regions gained more decentralized, robust mental health services than they had pre-disaster.

Challenges and barriers

While the need and frameworks are becoming clearer, many obstacles persist:

- Funding gaps & short-term thinking: Emergencies attract attention, but mental health support often remains one of the first areas where funding is cut when priorities shift. Sustained investment is rare.
- Human resource shortages: There are too few trained mental health professionals in many regions, especially in rural areas or conflict/disaster zones. Training non-specialists helps, but supervision, quality control, and psychological safety of caregivers need attention.
- Stigma & awareness: Hidden suffering is huge. People may not seek help due to shame, lack of knowledge, or belief that distress is “just to be expected.”
- Logistical & infrastructural issues: Access issues—roads blocked, clinics destroyed, lack of electricity, communication breakdowns—make it physically difficult to deliver services. Also, supply chain issues for medications or mental health tools.

Role of Manodarpan Wellness & Our Local Actions

At Manodarpan Wellness, we believe that mental health care is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline, especially during catastrophes and emergencies. Crises not only shatter homes and communities but also deeply impact emotional well-being. In such times, we see our role not just as clinicians, but as healers, listeners, and community partners.

Here’s how Manodarpan Wellness is preparing to strengthen access to mental health services when people need it the most:

1. Preparedness and Planning
We are developing a comprehensive Disaster and Crisis Mental Health Response Plan, ensuring that psychological support becomes a core part of emergency healthcare. Our team is working to build partnerships with local health authorities, NGOs, and district health services so that when emergencies strike, referral pathways, communication lines, and service delivery systems are already in place.

2. Training for Community Workers and Volunteers
We aim to train community health workers, teachers, and volunteers in Psychological First Aid (PFA)—helping them recognize distress, offer basic emotional support, and connect individuals to professional care. Empowering local people ensures that help reaches even the most remote or vulnerable populations swiftly.

3. Mobile Outreach & Tele-Mental Health
In times when mobility is restricted—like during floods, pandemics, or earthquakes—our telepsychiatry and online counselling services can provide continuous psychological care. We are also planning mobile mental health camps in affected areas to ensure that support reaches those who cannot reach us.

4. Culturally Sensitive Healing
We recognize that healing looks different for every community. Our interventions are designed to be culturally responsive—using local languages, respecting traditional coping rituals, and integrating community beliefs. We will continue our awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and help people understand that seeking psychological help is an act of strength, not weakness.

5. Long-Term Care Beyond the Crisis
Mental health recovery doesn’t end when the disaster does. Many survivors face PTSD, grief, and economic loss long after the crisis. We are committed to providing follow-up counselling, support groups, and rehabilitation-focused programs to help individuals and families rebuild emotionally as they rebuild their lives.

6. Advocacy and Collaboration
As part of our mission, we will continue to advocate for mental health to be included in emergency response budgets and planning at the policy level. Our vision is to work alongside sectors like education, housing, and disaster management to ensure that mental health care is integrated—not isolated—from humanitarian response efforts.

At Manodarpan Wellness, we dream of a resilient community—one that knows how to care, connect, and heal together even in the toughest times. Because in every crisis, there’s an opportunity to rebuild not just structures, but the human spirit.

Conclusion

Emergencies test the resilience of both communities and systems. They reveal our vulnerabilities—but also our capacity for compassion, innovation, and renewal. Access to mental health services in catastrophes and emergencies is not optional. It is a moral imperative, a human right, and a foundation upon which recovery, healing, and dignity are built.

At Manodarpan Wellness, we commit to working toward a future where emotional wounds are treated with as much urgency as physical ones, and where no one is left without help simply because disaster struck. In that future, healing is possible, and with the right services, we can ensure hope survives.