Department Initiatives④ Stem Center, Planning Division

Planning Division Initiatives and Future Issues
Stem Center, Planning Division
Psychiatric Social Worker – Yuichi Watanabe
1. Introduction
The general impression of the work of the MDMHCC appears to be that its personnel visit
temporary and private chartered housing developments in coastal areas, working directly with
community residents therein. However, this work is primarily allotted to the community support
divisions of individual centers. The Planning Division is a department of the MDMHCC Stem Center,and its primary tasks are to provide behind-the-scenes support for these activities, propose new
projects, and carry out necessary negotiations and discussions with external organizations.
As we have limited opportunities to travel to disaster-affected regions, it can be difficult to present
an adequate picture of what exactly we do. Here, while looking back on what we of the Planning
Division have achieved in FY 2012, we will present a coherent view of our role as an organization.
2. From the Founding of the Planning Division to Today
On November 1, 2011, an Operations Room, the goal of which was the founding of the
MDMHCC, was established in the city of Sendai. It was there that for the first time, three staff
members of what would become the Planning Division assembled and, alongside staff members of
the General Affairs Division, commenced work on preparatory activities for the establishment of theCenter. On December 1 of the same year, the Stem Center of the MDMHCC, the first of the Disaster
Mental Health Care Centers in the three prefectures of Tohoku, was established. It was composed of
the aforementioned full-time staff as well as part-time staff who were also members of otherinstitutions; on that day, our work as the Planning Division began. Until the later establishment ofCommunity Support Divisions in each of the subcenters, we also shouldered that responsibility.
The first tasks that the Planning Division set out to accomplish were the building of face-to-face,personal relationships with officials across municipalities and achieving an accurate understanding of
the status of each prefectural region. To this end, we visited coastal areas, municipalities from
Kesennuma to Yamamoto, and officials in Public Health Centers and other affiliated organizations
therein. Though more than nine months had passed since the disaster, affected locations were still inchaos, and because they had been drowning in work throughout that time, local officials were, without
exception, utterly exhausted. Thus, we set our sights on devising a way to somehow lighten their load
and resolved to respond to their desires and requests as closely as we could. In the wake of the disaster,
numerous support organizations had descended upon Miyagi; support misaligned with the needs of
local communities and support in which the assumptions or misconceptions of external supporters
were prioritized had caused chaos in many areas, leading to friction between organizations. Thus, wemade every effort to take a humble, careful position so as to prevent our own involvement from
causing such troubles.
Between our daily visits to various municipalities and organizations throughout the prefecture,
we were swamped by questions and support proposals from outside. The days until April 2012 passed
in a flurry of training workshops and donation proposals, correspondence with individuals wanting toobserve our work, recruitment activities for the founding of the Community Support Division, anddealings with the media.
3. Looking Back on Our Activities in the Last FY
After April 1, 2012, the Community Support Division was added to the Stem Center and the
Ishinomaki Regional Center and the Kesennuma Regional Center were both established. The
MDMHCC had become a large family with a total of 56 members: 34 full-time staff and 22 part-time
staff. Even the Planning Division, which at the founding of the Stem Center comprised just three
individuals (psychiatric social workers and public health nurses), received two new graduates in April
2012 and another two dispatch staff in the middle of the FY. At present, it comprises seven members(as of the end of March 2013).
The duties of the MDMHCC at large consist of the six items listed below; the projects and initiatives in which the Planning Division takes part have been described in detail below.
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(1) Raising Public Awareness①. Creation and Distribution of Pamphlets
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, a variety of problems inherent in post-disaster
scenarios were identified, including PTSD, suicide, alcohol-related problems, and supporter
exhaustion. In order to provide municipalities across the prefecture with general knowledge and to
inform them about counseling counters and the like in their area, we created and distributed a varietyof pamphlets (Document 1). In particular, because alcohol-related problems were coming to light inmany areas, we printed several kinds of pamphlets that could be used as tools during interventions
and distributed them in various ways in accordance with their use cases or as sets.
②. Creation of a Document 1: Awareness Pamphlets
PR Magazine MDMHCC Pamphlet (for Supporters)
6,000
and
MDMHCC Pamphlet (for the General Public)
9,000
Management“What is PTSD?”
20,000of Our Website “Preventing Depression”
20,000We published “Keep an Eye out for Insomnia”
20,000four issues of a PR “Alcohol and Mental Health”
20,000magazine aimed at “For You, Because You Are Important”
20,000informing people “Your Health and Alcohol Workbook”
20,000
about the activities “Symptoms and Illnesses Related to Alcohol Consumption”
10,000of this Center as Other pamphlets, including “About Alcoholism and Drug Addiction,” canwell as sharing be viewed on our website.
information useful
to communities far and wide throughout the past year. The magazine contained reports from ourvarious training workshops and social exchange meetings and showcases of the initiatives of civilian
activity organizations, as well as light reading, including articles such as “Self-Care Methods” and“Community Characteristics.”
Document 2: Miyagi Disaster Mental Health
Initiatives of the above sort were also posted asCare Center Website
electronic files to our homepage (Document 2), which
was overhauled in June 2012 in an effort to allow
people from throughout the country to use and view it
at will. Our website also showcases a variety ofworkshops and events related to the disaster, as well as
community information. In addition, each Community
Support Division maintains a blog on our site where
they showcase their daily activities. On a daily basis,
pages on our site are accessed an average of 60–70
times.
(2) Support for Supporters①. Acceptance and Arrangement of External Support
Immediately after the disaster, mental health care teams from each prefecture and various othersupport organizations began operating in affected municipalities. However, as time passed, theseorganizations withdrew from the prefecture, and municipal officials were left not only with their usual
work but also disaster-related duties. In order to relieve their burdens, we dispatched Center staff astransfer employees to these municipalities. Staff were also dispatched to several municipalities fromthe Community Support Division of the Stem Center, and these individuals have begun continued
support activities at their transfer destinations.
However, because the manpower of the Center alone was insufficient to meet the requests ofvarious municipalities, we worked with the JAPSW and the Yokohama City Community Support
Alliance for the Mentally Disabled (Shiseiren) to arrange short-term dispatches of personnel tovarious municipalities.
From July to December 2012, we accepted supporters from external organizations around once
per week. These individuals were placed under the authority of local transfer staff and were chiefly
responsible for record-keeping, document creation, and accompanying staff during interviews and- 75 -

visitations. The Planning Division took care of pre-departure explanation of roles, confirmation ofpoints of note, schedule arrangement, procurement of lodging, and arrangement of travel fees.
Securing lodging was already difficult for some time after the disaster, and the problem wascompounded during vacation season and when reconstruction-related events were being held.
In addition to the above, the Planning Division worked with various specialists and professionals,
including the JASWA, the Miyagi Psychiatric Center, and registered members of the Supporters’
Club, to respond to the needs of municipal officials. To prevent discord in the relationships between
external organizations and local officials that we mediated, we made every effort to take a polite,
careful approach to our work. As the first year, during which sheer manpower was prioritized, gave
way to the second year, longer-term dispatchments were requested, and we needed to adjust our
responses accordingly. While coordinating schedules with several external organizations, we also had
no choice but to deal with local officials’ complaints regarding dispatched personnel; acting as the
go-between in these disputes was more of a burden than we had expected, and came with far moredifficulties than anticipated.
(3) Human Resource Development①. Planning and Hosting the Earthquake Exchange
After the disaster, the Disaster Mental Health Network Miyagi hosted the Disaster Mental HealthCare Exchange in June and November 2011. This project was aimed at allowing public health nurses
and other officials who had been working without reprieve since the disaster a chance to take a step
back, find time to refresh themselves, deepen their social relationships with participating officials
from other locations, and exchange information. From the third edition onward, the MDMHCC took
over the planning of the project, and preparations were made in the Planning Division.
Initially, the plan was to run the event like the previous two editions, and have local officials
provide reports on the current status of their communities. However, because more than one full year
had passed since the disaster, normal duties had finally resumed, and municipal officials were quite
busy with their usual obligations. Further, because participation in this event required forgoing somevacation days, we were worried that it might actually become a burden. Thus, we temporarily
postponed the event from its planned June date and decided to rethink its objectives and significance.
Coincidentally, the Planning Division had received, at the time, a request for assistance in holding
an information exchange session for civilian
Document 3: Earthquake Exchange, November 10, 2012activity organizations; thus, we consideredutilizing the Exchange as a place fororganizations to build collaborative
relationships and share information. Soon
after, we had each Community Support
Division provide us with the requisite
information to request civilian organizations
throughout the prefecture to participate, andthe third Earthquake Exchange was held in
November 2012 (Document 3). Nearly 100
participants from all over the prefecture were
present on the day of the event, and their
makeup was quite different than in the past.
Participants shared information about theirwork and exchanged opinions about support and collaboration.
Later, in March 2013, an event with a similar purpose was held in Ishinomaki, and many
participants, especially individuals involved in related work in the Ishinomaki area, attended. In FY
2013, the Exchange meeting is slated to take place in Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, and Sendai.
②. Regular Staff Training Sessions and Collaborations with Care Centers in Other Prefectures
The MDMHCC is composed of staff members from various localities and professions, as well asvarying generations and backgrounds. Thus, in order to deepen our insight into disaster-related issues
and to reaffirm our mutual awareness as an organization, we conduct staff training sessions (except
in October and March). First, at the beginning of the year, we carry out a week-long new-hire training
course; after this, we hold regular training sessions on the fourth Friday of every month.
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In our staff training sessions, we have held discussions on topics intimately related to the disaster,
implemented group work, and facilitated case study workshops. We have also concurrently arranged
all-hands meetings for our organization, where staff members report the status of their communities
and on the activities of their centers, and where we collectively discuss relevant issues.
Starting partway through FY 2012, we introduced a framework wherein we met with personnel
from Disaster Mental Health Care Centers at Iwate and Fukushima and participated in each other’s
training workshops. As we took part in these learning experiences, we were able to exchange opinions
about the issues we face and share information as Disaster Mental Health Care Center employees.
Post-training social events and exchanges were also sometimes held, and our fellow workers in thesame trade provided us with a great deal of encouragement. The fact that we are able to achieve thislevel of collaboration is one big advantage of having Disaster Mental Health Care Centers establishedin all three prefectures in the same FY.
(4) Community Resident Support①. Day CampIn July and October 2011, Tohoku Fukushi University hosted two-day-one-night camps forchildren and their families in Sendai. This project was a part of their support for disaster-affectedareas and was implemented with “mitigation of child anxiety and stress through recreation andpsychological education, as well as psychological education for adults” as its primary objective 1). In
FY 2012, the MDMHCC took over this project, and the two new members of the Stem Center (thetwo new hires to the Planning Division) were put in charge of it. For FY 2012, we decided to run the
project as a camp without any overnight stays, and prepared projects for children and parents toengage in separately as well as activities for everyone to take part in together (Document 4). In
addition to the group activities of tent (tarp) pitching, imoni stew cooking, and recreation, we offeredboth a child-focused psychological education program, titled “Learning about the Heart (Koro-chan),”and a parent/guardian-focused program (consisting of mini-lectures, fascial release, hand massage,and private counseling). Many individuals who had taken part the previous year once again
participated, and the results of a feedback survey we conducted were positive (Document 5). We are
currently planning to hold this event in FY 2013 as well.
Document 5: Participant Feedback Survey (excerpt)
Document 4: Day Camp PR Poster
1. Which program was the most fun for you?
Select from below (multiple answers)
Orientation (exchanging business cards) – 2 people
Tent pitching – 7 people
Cooking imoni and preparing dessert – 10 people
Recreation (handheld tag) – 11 people
Learning about the Heart (Koro-chan) – 2 people
Other
Catching a frog – 1 person
Singing (Believe) – 1 perDragonfly catchingson– 1 person

2 Please share your thoughts with us. Select frombelow (multiple answers
I made a bunch of new friends – 9 people
I had fun playing with everyone – 15 people
I helped everyone clean-up – 6 people
I got to run around and get tired – 12 people
It was boring – 1 person
It was boring – 1 person It was boring – 1 person
Other
I’m glad I became friends with the adults that were
there, too
Picking chestnuts was fun- 77 -

(5) Support for Various Activities①. Exchange and Collaboration with Support Activity Organizations
From around the middle of FY 2012, the Planning Division began to participate in networking
sessions for civilian activity organizations, where we discussed the nature of collaboration with them.
Even at the aforementioned Disaster Mental Health Care Exchange, we had these organizations reporton their ideals, specific activities, and so on, and used these meetings as opportunities to broaden our
network. Participants told us that even though many attendees belonged to organizations active in thesame region as them, they knew very little about each other’s work, and that the activities underway
in other areas provided them with hints as to how to develop their own practices. Overall, the initiative
was received positively.
Immediately after the disaster, numerous private support organizations worked to prop up
affected regions and communities. However, as time passed, some of them finished their work andbegan to withdraw from the area. It is important that we understand the effects of this sort oforganizational movement on the society of affected regions and that we work with one another toensure that amidst this sort of change, community needs are not being forgotten or ignored. Further,good practices should cross geographical borders, be shared far and wide, and eventually be put touse in future support endeavors. We of the Planning Division feel that it is quite feasible for us tocooperate to make this level of information sharing possible.
(6) Research①. Constructing a Statistical System
In an effort to clarify the achievements of the MDMHCC as a whole, the Planning Division isoverseeing the development of an information system. Development began in April 2012; in July
2013, we plan to include information on community resident support, and in December 2013, we plan
to include information on other project achievements.
②. Assisting with SWC surveys
In response to a request from the Miyagi Prefecture SWC, we administered a health survey ofmunicipal SWC staff members. We worked with the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine,
Endowed Department of Preventive Psychiatry to implement a preliminary survey, and for postsurvey follow-up, we enlisted the help of Community Support Divisions in each area.
4. Looking Forward to FY 2013
As the first year of full-scale operation of the MDMHCC, FY 2012 was truly a year of trial anderror for the Planning Division; we constantly explored how to divide our duties with other divisions
and how to fulfill our own obligations.
While the majority of the work of the Planning Division is done from within the walls of the StemCenter building, we oversee work done throughout the prefecture. For this reason, we maintain a very
close relationship with the Community Support Division, the staff of which travel nearly daily tovarious communities and locations. The dynamic development of projects and programming, all whileconstantly collecting and collating information from communities, is perhaps one of the most salient
characteristics of the work of the Planning Division.
The frequency with which we collaborate with external organizations is perhaps another salientfeature. We collaborated with the Disaster Mental Health Care Centers at Iwate and Fukushima toparticipate in each other’s training sessions, enabling interaction between our staff. We were also
fortunate enough to receive a great deal of advice and help regarding issues we should focus on andactivities we should seek to implement from the Hyogo and Niigata Disaster Mental Health Care
Centers, both of which have much more activity experience than us. Finally, as we worked to respondto external propositions for support, donations, and so on, we were able to build relationships with avariety of support organizations.
The Planning Division stands between the Community Support Division, which is directly
responsible for areas throughout the prefecture and which works closely on a daily basis with local
residents, and the various support organizations and affiliated agencies that visit from outside theprefecture; we have worked to mediate between these groups over the past year. Our biggest task isdetermining how to effectively link support measures with prefectural needs. While much of our work
constitutes background arrangements and preparations not reflected in official achievement totals, we- 78 -

hope to use the internal and external relationships we have built up over the past year as a foundation
for future activities that make full use of our strengths.
The MDMHCC is still in its infancy and comprises individuals from a variety of backgrounds
and professions who have gathered together for a common purpose. We began with a question: “Whatduties should the organization, as a Disaster Mental Health Care Center, undertake?” and alongsidecareful and measured progress, we have repeatedly discussed and reaffirmed our ideologies. Our
foundation as an organization is still anything but rock solid, and much of our time is spent in trial
and error. Nevertheless, we believe that our experiences over this past year will serve as a foundationfor our future efforts.
5. Conclusion
Ultimately, individuals from our senior sister organizations, the Hyogo and Niigata Disaster
Mental Health Care Centers, have kindly watched over our trial-and-error efforts over the past year
and lent considerable support. They have provided us with polite, appropriate advice on various
aspects of the path to reconstruction based on their experiences during and after the Great HanshinAwaji and Niigata Chuetsu-Chuetsu-Oki earthquakes. I cannot express just how reassuring this
support has been in the midst of this unpredictable time after an unprecedented disaster. I would liketo take this opportunity to offer them my deepest thanks. In addition, I would like to thank thecountless individuals whose support we have relied on over the past year.
Our practices today will serve as a source of encouragement for future disaster support efforts. I
hope we can keep this fact in mind as we continue to value our daily support practices.
References
1) First session of the Children’s Future Camp, Project Report.

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