Ishinomaki Regional Center Community Support Division
The activities of the Ishinomaki Regional Center (“Division”) during FY 2022 in the areas affected by theGreat East Japan Earthquake were located in Ishinomaki City, Higashimatsushima City, and Onagawa Town,
under the jurisdiction of the Ishinomaki Public Health Center.
[Resident support project]
1. Individual support
Since opening in April 2012, we have responded to requests for support for people complaining of poor
physical condition or those with mental concerns, referrals from other institutions, direct consultations fromaffected individuals, and cooperation with public housing health surveys conducted by local governments.
With the end of the health survey, we have had a decreasing number of consultations.
When there is a direct consultation from a resident, we consider the shift to local government health activities
following the closure of the MDMHCC and have provided support in collaboration with public health centersand municipalities. Additionally, we have made efforts to respond to requests from associated institutions foraccompanied visits.
(1) Ishinomaki City (high-risk follow-ups following the public housing occupant health survey)
As part of the high-risk follow-ups following the FY 2022 public housing occupant health survey, wereceived requests for confirming the status of 43 individuals in 42 households in December 2022 and anadditional 10 individuals in nine households in January 2023 from the Health Promotion Division of theIshinomaki City Health Department (“Health Promotion Division”). We conducted individual support bytelephone and visiting surveys. There were 47 public housing tenants from 45 households and six municipal
housing tenants from six households. The request details are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Breakdown of FY 2022 request for visit survey
K6: ≥13
K6: 10–12 + male + 18–64 years + no consultation partner
Very poor or poor physical condition + no illness ortreatment interruption (excluding doctor’s orders)

42 people
10 people
1 people

The survey was completed by February 2023 and reported to the Health Promotion Division as shown in
Table 2.
Table 2. Breakdown of FY 2022 visit survey report
Continued support
Conclusion/information provision
Unconfirmed (absence/refusal)

6 people
36 people
11 people

The six people who continued to receive support had health and financial problems caused by life events,
and we coordinated with related medical and welfare institutions as needed while checking in on their status bytelephone and visits.
(2) Higashimatsushima CityIn FY 2022, we had a case where the Division received a request for an accompanied visit to an individualwith alcohol dependence and a consultation directly from the resident, who was referred to the Health
Promotion Division of the Higashimatsushima City Health and Welfare Department (“Health PromotionDivision”)(3) Onagawa Town
In FY 2022, there were no requests for individual support from the Health Countermeasures Section of theOnagawa Town Health and Welfare Division (“Health Countermeasures Section”).

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[Support for supporters project]
1. Supporter consultation project (e.g., professional advice)(1) Ishinomaki Public Health Center
In 2019, the Ishinomaki Public Health Center convened two cities and one town in the area. The Division also
cooperated in creating a common format for fact sheets to provide continued support for cases such as
hospitalization. Using this as an opportunity, we decided to discuss community mental health and welfare
activities within the jurisdiction, centering on the Ishinomaki Public Health Center. In July 2022, a meeting on
mental health care for the Ishinomaki area was held by the Mental Health and Welfare Center, Ishinomaki Public
Health Center, and the Division. The plan was to hold regular discussions, but owing to the spread of theCOVID-19 pandemic from the end of 2019 and the necessary countermeasures, we were unable to hold anymeetings. Activities of the Division since FY 2021 were set out in the “Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center
Second Operation Plan,” but we were unable to conduct activities in accordance with the plan owing to theongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2)Ishinomaki City①
We had one meeting with the Mental Health Group of the Health Promotion Division regarding projectplans and suicide prevention-related projects. We also had meetings as needed depending on the project.
Additionally, given the circumstances—including an increasing number of suicide-related consultations
from residents—the city hosted the “Ishinomaki City Training Session for Responding to People withSuicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts” in September 2022 to study what is needed to improve the skillsof public health nurses, who would be the final points of contact. The Division dispatched lecturers to thesession. Additionally, staff members cooperated in the Ishinomaki City Suicide Countermeasures
Promotion Council as vice chairpersons.
Upon request by a maternal and child health group, we cooperated in various infant health checkups
in the main government district, confirmed the health status of parents and children, and listened to theproblems experienced by the parents. In subsequent conferences, we discussed the characteristics ofchildren and how to respond to them, as well as examined support for parents with various backgrounds.
We also responded to consultations regarding cases involving the public health nurse in charge of thedistrict as needed.
②In child-rearing consultations at the child-rearing comprehensive support center “Issyo”(“comprehensive support”), we directly provided consultations with parents and also examined thedirection of support after the parents consulted with the consultation support staff. Consultation contents
included children’s mental and physical development, children’s characteristics and responding to them,discipline, responding to siblings, and communication with children. We recorded many cases of parents
facing an intricate intertwining of problems (e.g., balancing work and family, domestic violence, solo
childrearing and housework, having a child, unemployment and poor health owing to COVID-19,
ambiguous loss, the impact of parental trauma on children, flashbacks, and poor health owing toearthquakes). We addressed how the effects of parental stress were reflected on the children.
③Ishinomaki City new-term public health nurse study meeting (case study meeting)
We participated as advisors in “Studying the impact of the upbringing history of parents with nursing
difficulties on childrearing and innovations on responding to such histories” at new-term public healthnurse training sessions.

(3) Higashimatsushima City
We held one meeting with the Health Promotion Division. We conducted accompanied visits to an individualwith alcohol dependence and responded to a consultation on support methods. We also participated as a memberof the Higashimatsushima City Suicide Countermeasures Community Liaison Council, which discussed andexamined comprehensive suicide countermeasures in Higashimatsushima City.
(4) Onagawa Town
We held regular meetings with the Health Countermeasures Section of the Health and Welfare Division to share
information on the mental health and welfare project as well as on individual cases. The HealthCountermeasures Section requested a dispatch of a lecturer for the suicide countermeasures training session foryoung town staff members and local welfare commissioners, and a Division staff member was dispatched.
2. Supporters’ mental health support projectThis project was implemented mainly by public health centers and via cooperation from the Division. In FY
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countermeasures and alcohol training were canceled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The suicide prevention
countermeasures training was canceled before it was held.
3. Support for supporters regarding children’s mental care (consultations, training, and other activities
for supporters)(1) Children’s mental care community training
This event was held once a year in a large venue with the support of the local government and the local
board of education. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not been possible to hold this event since
FY 2020. It was not held in FY 2022 as well.
(2) Children’s support facility visit projectIn FY 2022, when there was a use request, we confirmed the purpose and conducted the project twice.
One case involved the participation of not only the public health nurse in charge but also all the maternaland child health personnel in the area, and together, they examined the direction of case support. Before
conducting the project, the public health nurse in charge provided information on the environment, including
the child’s family, and on the day of the project, a staff conference was held after observations of thechildren’s behavior. The conference was attended by facility supporters and public health nurses in chargeof child and family support in the district. They exchanged opinions on how to identify problematic behavior
in children, how to respond to such behavior, and how to support parents.
The content differed by case, but the themes of the lectures included understanding and responding tochildren’s problematic behavior, risks of forming attachments, self-esteem of children and parents,
emotional expression, and the mental health of supporters. In difficult cases, supporters tended to havedifferences in opinion regarding children’s support, resulting in a conflicting relationship. The conference
was an opportunity to appreciate the hard work of supporters, each with their own perspectives, and to think
about the direction of support that is desirable for the children, such as how to utilize the differences inperspectives as support. Additionally, the public health nurse in charge reported the conference contents tothe parents as necessary. In some cases, upon the request of the public health nurse in charge, we provided
explanations about changes in the children’s growth and measures that can be taken at home to prepare for
future lifestyles.
[Raising public awareness project]
1. Mental health public awareness promotion project(1) Koyo municipal housing complex health consultation meeting
The Division has been cooperating since FY 2019 in the health consultation meeting sponsored by, and upon
the request of, the Ishinomaki Hebita Comprehensive Support Center. In FY 2022, the meeting was planned tobe held once a month, but they were canceled four times owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and inclementweather. A total of 50 participants attended the eight meetings held. The participants talked about their current
circumstances through health consultations and had a pleasant time through health lectures from nurses
registered in supporters’ clubs and through light exercises.
The MDMHCC will close in FY 2025, so we discussed with the organizers and concluded our project support
at the end of FY 2022.
(2) Health course (Onagawa Town)
We cooperated in the implementation of the “mental care course” sponsored by the HealthCountermeasures Section for residents in Onagawa Town. The course involved a lecture by a psychiatrist and apicture-story show by volunteers who are good listeners.
Table 3. Onagawa Town Mental care course
ImplementationVenue
date
December 23,Onagawa Town
2022
Urashuku 2nd Ward

ContentsParticipants

Lecture: “Mutual emotional support in thecommunity”
Tsutomu Kimura, Director, Kaihoukai Kashima
Memorial Hospital
Picture-story show by three volunteers who aregood listeners

11 people(3) Ishinomaki daytime meetings
In FY 2022, we cooperated in the activities of the “Ishinomaki daytime meetings” (Miyagi PrefectureDanshukai) held at the Ishinomaki Health Consultation Center. We will continue to cooperate, as we view
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these activities as among the social resources of the community and as venues for people with alcohol-related
problems to receive counseling.
2. Dissemination of mental health information
We responded to requests for providing information from public health centers, two cities, and one town.
[Summary, future prospects, and challenges]
The COVID-19 pandemic from the end of 2019 has affected the activities of the Division in FY 2022.
Fluctuations in the number of patients with COVID-19 falling under the charge of the Ishinomaki Public HealthCenter directly impacted the operations of the public health center. One consequence is the continued
postponements in participation in meetings with municipalities and meetings with the Division. Moreover, thesuicide prevention countermeasures training that was mainly planned by the Ishinomaki Public Health Center
was canceled just before the event was scheduled to be held in December 2022 owing to the rapid increase in
the number of people infected with COVID-19 in the area.
In FY 2022, we concluded the Ishinomaki City public housing tenant health survey and our cooperation
with the Koyo municipal housing complex health consultation meeting.
The Division’s projects are decreasing in number and scope every year. In the Ishinomaki area, we haveshared the direction of community mental health and welfare activities from FY 2021 onwards with publichealth centers, where we have conducted municipal support with the goal of “community supporters improving
their abilities together and supporting residents while collaborating with one another.” Particularly withmunicipal support, we have conducted accompanied visits, case studies, and consultations upon request toprovide support with the aims of improving the skills of supporters, such as public health nurses, and responding
to requests for difficult cases from associated institutions.
During the remaining three years until the conclusion of our projects, we intend to respond to requests fromassociated institutions as much as possible and plan to act as a backup system for supporters.

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