Kesennuma Regional Center Community Support Division

The activities of the Kesennuma Regional Center (“Division”) in FY 2022 in the area affected by the Great
East Japan Earthquake were Kesennuma City and Minamisanriku Town, under the jurisdiction of theKesennuma Public Health Center.
[Resident support project]
1. Individual support
For resident support in FY 2022, we offered mental health consultations to individuals ranging fromchildren to older adults and provided support at the request of individuals, family members, and relatedindividuals.
2. Consultation support project (establishment of mental health counseling service booths)
We opened counseling rooms for students at the request of schools. We also opened counseling service
booths for parents raising children and sought to promote mental health and prevent mental illness upon
the request of Kesennuma City.
Kesennuma City Hospital Nursing School student counseling booth (held 20 times, total number ofpeople: 12)
Kesennuma Medical Association Nursing School student counseling booth (held 8 times, total number ofpeople: 0)
Kesennuma City Children’s Center counseling booth (held 12 times, total number of people: 4)
3. Local resident exchange project(1) Support project for socially isolated residents (enrichment activity for men)
We provided time for lectures and activities on health for men who tend to be socially isolated and whose
mental health may be declining, to improve and promote mental health. Events were co-sponsored by theHealth Promotion Division of the Health and Welfare Department of Kesennuma City (henceforth, “CityHealth Promotion Division”). We asked related departments in Kesennuma City (CommunityComprehensive Care Promotion Division, community comprehensive support center, Elder Care Division,Social Welfare Division, Karakuwa General Branch, Motoyoshi General Branch), medical institutions in
Kesennuma City, and consultation organizations for their cooperation in reaching out to the target population.
This was held five times, with a total of 14 participants.

Towel exercises

Group planting− 32 −

[Support for supporters project]
1. Professional staff dispatch
We dispatched one staff member three times a week to the City Health Promotion Division and theMinamisanriku Town Health and Welfare Division Health Promotion Section (“Town Health PromotionSection”). The staff member assisted in the work of local government public health nurses to reduce theirworkload
2. Supporter’s mental health support project(1) Kesennuma City staff health counseling service booth (opening of mental health counseling servicebooth)A health counseling service booth for local government employees was opened in Kesennuma City Hall on
the third Wednesday of every month from 10:00 to 16:00 (total number of people who used the service: 38people). In opening the booth, we provided support in collaboration with the Personnel Division of the General
Affairs Department of Kesennuma City
(2) Minamisanriku Town staff health counseling service booth (opening of mental health counseling servicebooth)A health counseling service booth for local government employees was opened on the third Thursday of
every month from 14:00 to 19:00 (total number of people who used the service: 19 people). We provided support
in collaboration with the General Affairs Division of Minamisanriku Town.
3. Supporter’s mental health promotion support project
Upon request, we provided training and lectures for staff involved in disaster victim support and staffoverseeing mental health and welfare in affected areas (Table 1)
Implementati
on dateApril 20,2022 toMarch 1,
2023

April 20,2022 toMarch 27,
2023

December 2,
2022

Table 1 Supporters’ mental health promotion support projects
Host
Training name/content
Number Number of Requestermunicipalityof times participants
Employment
Transition Support
Hope Garden staff
Office for Persons
Kesennuma
training
23
101 total
with Disabilities
City
Social skills training
Co. Ltd., Hope
GardenKesennuma
Koeru
Employment
Train staff and user
Transition Support
Kesennuma training
11132 total
ProjectCityTotal social skills
Employment
training
Support Center
Train“Learning about mentalillness” workshop forKesennuma
Kesennuma Public
supporters in health,132CityHealth Center
medical care, andwelfare[Raising public awareness project]
1. Resident mental health public awareness promotion project(1) Municipal activity support projects①Cooperation in “Public awareness initiative for suicide prevention”
We co-sponsored the public awareness initiative for suicide prevention conducted by Kesennuma City
during the Suicide Prevention Week in September and Suicide Prevention Strengthening Month in March.
We conducted panel exhibitions and distributed public awareness materials in collaboration with the City
Health Promotion Division. We cooperated with the Kesennuma City radio station Radio Kesennuma totransmit information on suicide prevention in the program.
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We cooperated in the creation and exhibition of public awareness materials on suicide prevention that
Minamisanriku Town conducted during the Suicide Prevention Strengthening Week in September. We
were co-sponsors with Minamisanriku Town during the Suicide Countermeasures Strengthening Monthin March and distributed public awareness materials as part of public awareness activities relating tosuicide prevention.
②Other training projects

Upon request, we dispatched lecturers to lectures arranged by local governments to community
residents, and we aimed to spread understanding and knowledge about mental health (Table 2).
Table 2. Municipal support activity projects in and requested
Implementation
date

Host
municipality

May 27, 2022

Kesennuma
City

July 1, 2022

Kesennuma
City

September 22,
2022

Kesennuma
City

November 18,
2022

Kesennuma
City

December 22,
2022

Kesennuma
CityFebruary 14,
2023

Kesennuma
City

Training name/content

Number ofparticipantsRequester

57

Kesennuma
City

20

Kesennuma
City28

Kesennuma
City36

Kesennuma
City22

Kesennuma
City17

Kesennuma
CityKesennuma City Health Promotion
Association training: “Mental health andcommunication”
Kesennuma City Matsuiwa District
Health Promotion Staff Member lecture:“How to effectively deal with stress”
Kesennuma City West District Health
Promotion Staff Member lecture: “Mentalresetting and easy stretching methods toincorporate in your daily life”
Kesennuma City Motoyoshi District
Health Promotion Staff Member lecture:“Maintaining mental and physical health:
How to effectively deal with stress”
FY2022 Mental health promotion lecture(Karakuwa/Motoyoshi districts): “Let’s
notice mental fatigue: Stress and care”
Listening course: “Gatekeeper trainingcourse”(2) Support for health festivals and other activities
At the Health Promotion Festival that was sponsored by Kesennuma City, we exhibited posters anddistributed public awareness materials on mental health and drinking-related problems. Our goal was tomaintain and improve the mental and physical health of local residents.
We planned to participate in the Minamisanriku Town Welfare and Health Festival as an executive
committee member, and we prepared activities to raise public awareness of mental health among localresidents. However, the public awareness activities were canceled on the day of the Festival to preventthe spread of COVID-19.
(3) Lectures
We held training and lectures for local residents to deepen their understanding of mental health (Table 3).
Table 3. Lectures on mental health
Implementati
on dateHostmunicipality

Training name/content

Number ofparticipants

May 13,2022

Kesennuma
CityDrug abuse prevention class
lecture: “What is self-harm?”

180

July 26, 2022
to January24, 2023

Kesennuma
City

Health lectures (3times)

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RequesterMiyagiPrefecture
Motoyoshi
Hibiki HighSchool
Municipal
Makisawa
Housing
District A

Coordinator training course,
self-care edition: “Basics ofself-care and mental health”

15

Kesennuma
Town University
ManagementCouncil

47

Kesennuma City
Omose JuniorHigh School

39

MiyagiPrefecture
Kesennuma
High School

20

Kesennuma City
Akaiwa District

August 31,
2022

Kesennuma
City

September 6,
2022

Kesennuma
City

September 8,
2022

Kesennuma
City

October 14,
2022

Kesennuma
City

November23, 2022

Kesennuma
CityKesennuma City Kamizawa 2nd
Ward lecture: “Mental health”

18Kesennuma
CityHigh School Vice Principals’
Association, Motoyoshi
District Association lecture:“Mental changes related to theGreat East Japan Earthquake”

7December 6,2022

Junior high school healthlecture: “Confusing friendships
in the second year of juniorhigh school”
Drug abuse prevention class
lecture: “Status of drug
dependence and crisis
avoidance”
Kesennuma City Akaiwa
District Middle/Early Old AgeGroup lecture: “Mental health”− 35 −

Kesennuma
City, Kamisawa
2nd WardHigh School
Vice Principals’Association,Motoyoshi
DistrictAssociation2. Public relations project(1) Posting columns in Sanriku Shimpo
We posted the column “Sanriku Mental Health Communication” once a month in collaboration with theMiyagi Prefecture Kesennuma Health and Welfare Office in the local newspaper Sanriku Shimpo, which is amonthly subscription mainly in Kesennuma City. Our goal was to provid information on mental health toresidents. The posted contents covered the local circumstances and those relating to the Great East Japan
Earthquake. The Division will end its activities in FY 2025, so the postings were reduced to four times in FY
2022. Additionally, the March publication of “What’s important because it’s this time now: How to deal withanxiety,” overseen by the Division, was created jointly by the City Health Promotion Division and Town
Health Promotion Section.
(2) Dissemination of information through radio
We disseminated information through Radio Kesennuma to reach a wide range of residents on how tomaintain mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
[Summary, future prospects, and challenges]
Moving toward the conclusion of activities in FY 2025 based on the MDMHCC Second Operation Plan,FY 2022 was marked by regular meetings among related institutions, which include the Kesennuma Public
Health Center, Mental Health and Welfare Center, and the Division, to share information on issues in the areaand examine the future form of mental health care in the community. Regarding mental care systems since
FY2021, the “mental care meeting” (mental care review committee) sponsored by the Kesennuma Public
Health Center was held as a forum for exchanging opinions with local governments, which the Division alsoattended. Additionally, the Division examined support policies for individual cases, managed the progress offuture activity schedules, and held meetings with local governments and the Kesennuma Public Health Center.
Division staff members were dispatched to related divisions in target local governments to provide operational
support to local governments throughout the year.
In FY 2022, Kesennuma Public Health Center had to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the local
government had additional duties, such as administering COVID-19 vaccinations. The Division was unable toimplement all of its projects according to the project plan. However, we believe that we were able to provide
local government support along with the Kesennuma Public Health Center and Mental Health and Welfare
Center, improving local mental health and welfare activities.
Furthermore, in FY 2023, we further strengthened collaborations and engaged in the three projects ofresident support, support for supporters, and raising public awareness, while frequently sharing our schedule
for the conclusion of activities and the activity status of the Division to related institutions in the community.
We have also proceeded with the examination of the conclusion of projects and the handing over of projects
to related institutions.

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