The Regional Secretariat for Science, Technology and Infrastructures, through the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA), in partnership with the Portalegre Health School, promotes three training courses on Psychosocial Intervention in Situations of Catastrophe, Crisis and Emergency on the islands of Terceira, Faial and São Miguel.

Events such as accidents, natural disasters, wars or terrorist attacks have evidenced the importance and necessity of Mental Health interventions in situations of crisis and emergency. Following the experience of a crisis situation, the normal mechanisms of adaptation and problem resolution are not usually successful, resulting in a psychological imbalance that generates feelings of anxiety or fear as well as decreased adaptive functioning, the so-called "a psychological crisis." Hence, the Regional Secretariat considers Psychological Intervention, particularly the Psychosocial area, of utmost importance in situations of Crisis.

In this context, these 15-hour courses were promoted with the purpose of providing trainees with the skills that allow them to recognise the different situations that are likely to cause psychological trauma as well as the first signs and symptoms of traumatic stress. The training courses also aim to disseminate the different emotional stabilisation techniques used in situations of crisis and emergency.
 
This initiative will address several contents such as "Psychological Responses in Emergencies," "Conventional Psychology vs. Psychosocial Intervention in Crisis and Emergency," "Psychosocial Intervention in Crisis and Emergency" and "Family Support: recognition of corpses, mourning"; it will also include some practical exercises.

In this first phase, the course on Psychosocial Intervention in Situations of Catastrophe, which will take place under the PLESCAMAC Project, is targeted at the personnel of SRPCBA and the partner organisations, including the Regional Secretaries for Health and Labour and Social Security, Fire Brigades, Public Safety Police, Military Forces, Municipalities, Scout Groups, Portuguese Red Cross, University of the Azores. The partners of Madeira and Canaries will also participate in this initiative.

The third edition of the course will be held next Monday at the auditorium of the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory, whose opening session will be presided over by the Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures at 9:30 AM.