FY2020 Children’s Mental Health Care Community Base Project Report
Miyagi Prefecture has established “seamless support from children to adults” in its disaster reconstruction planfor mental health care following the earthquake. Moreover, the Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center(hereinafter, “Center”) has been entrusted with mental health care services for children during the five-year period
from April 2016 to March 2021. The contracted work included the following five projects: “counseling project,”“professional dispatch project,”, “training project,” “raising public awareness project,” and “research project.”The following is a summary of the contents and achievements of the 2020 Children’s Mental Health Care
Community Base Project (hereinafter, “Base Project”) and the five-year project. The figures are reprinted fromthe data of those aged under 20 years from the Center’s statistical materials.
1.

Contracted project content and achievements(1) Counseling project
The Center provides counseling on mental health care for children through municipalities; educational
institutions (e.g., elementary, junior high, and high schools); and nursery schools. When professionals aredispatched for municipal health examinations of infants (hereinafter, “infant health examinations”) andcounseling service booths, supporters, and families often request advice on how to deal with children, andcounseling is provided for them.
The number of counseling cases in FY2020 was 431 and 125 for the total number of cases, and the total
number of actual people, respectively. This increased from the total number of cases (373) in FY2019, andslightly decreased from the total number of actual people (134) in FY2019.
Table 1 shows the number of consultation cases according to age and counseling recipient, and Table 2 shows
the total number of consultation cases according to age and place of residence. Regarding age, the number ofconsultations for those between the ages of 7 and 15 years, which numbered 163 cases in FY2019, decreased.
However, consultations for those between the ages of 16 and 19 years, which numbered 139 cases in FY2019,
greatly increased. By region, the number of cases in Kesennuma City largely increased, with the number of cases
for those between the ages of 7 and 15 years, and between the ages of 16 and 19 years, exceeding 100 cases. InIshinomaki City, there was a large decrease in the 7–15–year age group. In the jurisdiction of the Stem Center,
there were no major changes since FY2019.

Table 1 Number of consultation cases according to age and counseling recipient(Total number of cases: 431; number of actual people: 125)
6 years andyounger

7–15 years

16–19 years

Total

Individual

199

176

276

Family72

4832152

Other00

33Total

73147

211

431

Number of actual people

613430125

Total numberof cases(according tocounselingrecipient)- 24 -Table 2 Total number of consultation cases according to age and place of residence

Sendai CityShiogama City
Natori City
Tagajo City

6 years
andyounger
3000Iwanuma City0000Tomiya City
Watari Town
Yamamoto Town
Matsushima Town
OtherIshinomaki City
Higashimatsushima
CityOnagawa Town
Kesennuma CityTome City
Minamisanriku
Town

000003000102
60000270010443

1658292000
13100148
02279
0001212Place ofresidence

Total number ofcases (accordingto counselingrecipient)

Stem CenterIshinomaki
Regional CenterKesennuma
Regional Center

7–15years

16–19years

Total

2000

6020

11020

Anonymous
220123Total
73147186406*Of the 431 total cases, 25 had “Ichinoseki City” as their place of residence, so they were excluded in Table 2.
(2) Professional dispatch project
Professionals such as child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and public health nurses were dispatched
to municipal health centers, nursery centers, elementary/junior high schools, etc., to provide consultations andtraining for staff members. Professionals were dispatched to a total of 262 institutions in FY2020, which was anincrease of 229 institutions in FY2019. Table 3 shows the number of dispatches according to dispatch destinationand profession, and Table 4 shows the number of dispatches according to dispatch destination and municipality.
Among the institutions to where professionals were dispatched, municipalities were the highest at 197 cases,of which 140 were handled by public health nurses. This increased from 110 cases in FY2019. Public healthnurses were the most frequently dispatched professionals, followed by clinical psychologists, psychiatric social
workers, and psychiatrists. Dispatches to nursery centers and kindergartens numbered 19 in FY2019. Dispatches
to elementary and junior high schools numbered 13 and 3, respectively.
Ishinomaki City had the highest number of dispatches (117 cases), followed by Watari Town (42 cases),
Yamamoto Town (33 cases), and Natori City (25 cases).
Table 3 Number of dispatches according to dispatch destination and profession (262 cases)
Profession
Dispatch
destination
Psychiatrist
Clinical
psychologist
Psychiatricsocial worker
Public health
nurse
Other
Total

PrefecturerelatedMunicipality

Nursery
center /kindergarten

Elementaryschool

Juniorhighschool

OtherTotal

04927073020111539121008232014040022166050197

10210301002610262- 25 -

Table 4 Number of dispatches according to dispatch destination and municipality (262 cases)
Dispatch destination
Municipality

StemCenterIshinomak
i Regional
CenterKesennum
a Regional
CenterSendai City
Shiogama City
Natori City
Tagajo City
Iwanuma City
Watari Town
Yamamoto Town
Ishinomaki City
Higashimatsushi
ma City
Onagawa TownKesennuma CityTome City
Minamisanriku
Town

Total

Prefecture-related

Municipalit
y001000031114212423283

Nursery
center /kindergarte
n00
100001830000000Junior highschool200000000

50000

50
100222000000
800202
1320

10

000

15197

2131026262

Elementar
y school

Othe
rTota
l

10000002371252124233117(3) Training projectIn FY2020, we sponsored and dispatched instructors for 31 workshops. This decreased from 47 workshops inFY2019. Table 5 shows implementation status according to workshop instructor profession and municipality, andTable 6 shows the implementation list of the training projects. Workshops sponsored by the Center include“Psychological first aid (PFA) training for children” (hereinafter, “Children’s PFA training”) and “Traumainformed care training,” where basic methods for psychological support following a disaster were demonstrated.
These were each hosted once in one location within the prefecture (Sendai).
Table 5 Implementation status according to workshop instructor profession and municipality
Venue
instructor profession

Psychiatrist

Clinical
psychologist

Sendai City40Shiogama City01Shiroishi City
10Natori City00Tagajo City00
Stem Center Iwanuma City00Kurihara City01
Osaki City
10
Zao Town
10Marumori Town
10Taiwa Town
10Ishinomaki City
20Ishinomaki
Higashimatsushima
Regional
10CityCenterOnagawa Town
00Kesennuma City00Kesennuma
Tome City00
Regional
Minamisanriku
Center00Town
Total
122“Other” includes clinical development psychologists and nurses- 26 -

Psychiatricsocialworker
100000000000

Publichealthnurse
0002000000010

OtherTotal

000
800000000511
10001111130010
500000000
50000063831

Table 6 Implementation list of training projects
Implementation
date

Hostingmunicipality

Primary participants

Number ofparticipants

Instructor profession

Miyagi Prefectural High School
education counselors, etc.

78

Psychiatrist

Child counseling center staff

8

Psychiatric socialworker

Training name (theme)

2020/5/29

Sendai City

Mental health care forreopening schools

2020/7/8

Kesennuma City

Activities of the Kesennuma
Regional CenterthTaiwa Town

Mental illness in children

4 -year students at Miyagi
University Nursing Group

12Psychiatrist

2020/7/13

Natori City

Utilization of the Edinburgh
Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS)

New Natori City public healthnurses / registered dietitians

20

Public health nurse

2020/8/4

Natori City

How to work with groups
including anxious children

Masuda Nursery Center

10Clinical developmentpsychologist

2020/8/20

Shiogama City

Involvement in mother-childcases from the perspective offamily relationships

Public health nurses under thejurisdiction of Shiogama PublicHealth Center

26

Clinical psychologist

2020/8/24

Natori City

Let’s use data

New Natori City public healthnurses / registered dietitians

10

Public health nurse

2020/8/28

Natori City

Teamwork, compassion, andyou: Is empathy exhausting?

Natorigaoka Nursery Center

17

Other

2020/9/14

Marumori Town

Psychological support forchildren from a long-term
perspective in the later stages ofa disaster

Kanayama Elementary School20Psychiatrist

2020/9/15

Sendai City

How to approach the hurt heartof a child: Learning the basicsof trauma-informed careChild welfare, etc.

34

Psychiatrist

2020/9/25

Sendai City

One-day training forpsychological first aid forchildren [PFA for children]

Educators, etc.

16

Psychiatrist

2020/10/5

Sendai City

Status and issues of mental
health care for children from theperspective of Miyagi Disaster
Mental Health Care Center

Administrative officials, etc.

19

Psychiatric socialworker

2020/10/6

Natori City

How to work with groups
including anxious children

Masuda Nursery Center

10

Clinical development
psychologist

2020/10/8

Higashimatsushima
City

Building networks that support
the growth of children

Higashimatsushima City
Regional Council for Aidrequiring Children

55

Psychiatrist

2020/10/14

Ishinomaki City

Supporting the growth ofchildren

Educators

20

Psychiatrist

2020/10/22

Natori City

What is teamwork?

Natorigaoka Nursery Center

20

Other

2020/10/27

Natori City

How to work with groups
including anxious children

Natorigaoka Nursery Center

10

Clinical development
psychologist

2020/11/2

Kesennuma City

Appearances and truth ofworrisome 2nd-year junior highschool students

2nd-year junior high school
students of Omose Junior HighSchool

59

Psychiatric social
worker

2020/11/10

Natori City

Attentive listening

Natorigaoka Nursery Center

20

Other

2020/11/13

Kesennuma CityActivities of the Kesennuma
Regional Center

Child and family support center
staff

3

Psychiatric social
worker

2020/11/26

Kurihara City

Child-rearing without corporalpunishment: For a society that
supports child-rearing together

Kurihara City residents

120

Clinical psychologist

2020/12/8

Kesennuma City

Status of drug addiction andcrisis avoidance

Kesennuma High School parttime system

52

Psychiatric social
worker

2020/12/9Natori City

How to work with groups
including anxious children

Natorigaoka Nursery Center

10

Clinical development
psychologist

2020/12/15

Natori City

How to work with groups
including anxious children

Masuda Nursery Center

12

Clinical development
psychologist

2020/12/21

Shiroishi City

Dealing with suicidal ideations

Educators

40

Psychiatrist

2020/12/23

Ishinomaki City

Psychological support forchildren from a long-term
perspective in the later stages ofa disaster

Ishinomaki Kita High School

40

Psychiatrist

2021/1/15

Zao Town

Main points of attentive
listening

Zao High School

10

Psychiatrist

2021/1/19Ishinomaki City

Case study meeting

New-term Ishinomaki City
public health nurses

6

Public health nurse

2021/2/1

Sendai City

What is occurring in the heartof a child during COVID-19

Kawasaki City Western Area
Rehabilitation Center25

Psychiatrist

2021/2/10

Osaki City

Dealing with students who havedevelopmental disabilities

Furukawa Reimei High School

30

Psychiatrist

2021/2/18

Kesennuma City

Nursing mental health self-care

Kesennuma City Hospital
School of Nursing

33

Psychiatric socialworker

2020/7/9‐ 27 -(4) Raising public awareness project
As shown in Table 7, in FY2020, we distributed clear files for public awareness to training participants andothers, created self-care posters for children, and propagated them to public high schools and special-needs
schools in the prefecture.
Table 7 Implementation list of raising public awareness projects
Implementation
date

Host
municipality

2020/9/15

Sendai City

2020/9/25

Sendai City

2020/10/5

Sendai City

2021/3/4

Sendai City

Number ofpeople receiving
materials

Content
Children’s mental health care community training:
Lecture and distribution of clear files for raisingpublic awareness to participantsDistributing clear files on raising public awarenessto participants of PsychoSlogical first aid forchildren [PFA for Children] one-day training(Sendai)
Distributing clear files for raising public awarenessto FY2020 Child / child-rearing supporter support
conference attendees
Distributing posters for raising public awareness(self-care) to public high schools and special-needs
schools in Miyagi Prefecture

351625111(5) Research project
The annual “Longitudinal support study for children born after the Great East Japan Earthquake and theirfamilies” is reported in the “Research Report” of this issue.
Table 8 shows the research presentations in FY2020.
Table 8 Implementation list of research projects
Supervisor
profession

Implementation date

Activity content

Theme

2020/9/11

Disaster-related session of the 38thMeeting of the Japanese Society ofPsychosomatic Pediatrics (heldonline)

Various effects of the spread of
COVID-19 in Japan on children’s
physical and mental health2020/9/21

19th Japanese Society for TraumaticStress Studies Meeting poster
session (held online)

2020/9/21

19th Japanese Society for TraumaticStress Studies Meeting poster
session (held online)

2020/9/21

19th Japanese Society for TraumaticStress Studies Meeting poster
session (held online)

Longitudinal support study forchildren born after the Great East
Japan Earthquake and their families(1): From the relationship between
cognitive development, problematic
behaviors, and family damage status inchildren in Miyagi PrefectureLongitudinal support study forchildren born after the great East Japan
earthquake and their families (2):Damage status of parents and progressof each cluster due to past traumatic
experiences
Mental health of mothers
community support practice- 28 -and

Psychiatrist

Psychiatrist

Clinical
psychologist

Psychiatrist

2. Summary
Comparing FY2020 with FY2019 shows that the number of consultations has increased, reaching its
maximum value in the 5th year of the project contract. The number of actual people has not greatly increased;
therefore, we assume that the number of children and parents requiring support over multiple sessions hasincreased, such as in difficult cases.
The professional dispatch project has increased since FY2019; however, it decreased from the 309 and 266
cases in FY2018 and FY2017, respectively. The research project decreased significantly compared to theprevious year both regarding the number of times and number of participants due to COVID-19. Face-to-face
implementation, as well as implementation with large groups, was difficult. Thus, methods that are easier thanconventional ones are needed. The same applies for raising public awareness.
The Children’s Mental Health Care Community Base Project, which was entrusted to us since FY2016,
ended in FY2020. This project provided counseling for children who required mental health care and theirparents, and provided consultations and training for supporters involved in the mental health care of children.
To improve children’s mental health care and mental health, the Kesennuma Regional Center, Ishinomaki
Regional Center, and Stem Center have implemented the five projects mentioned in the Introduction, with theaim of providing “seamless support from children to adults.” Below, we reflect upon each project.
First, for the “Consultation project,” we responded to consultations from children, parents, and supporters
using various methods such as walk-ins, home visits, and telephone calls. Each regional center had different
motives and methods for responding. Flexible responses were provided according to the circumstances of each
community, with differences in the number of cases also appearing. Going forward, we will continue to carefully
respond to needs and collaborate with other organizations to investigate a system for accepting consultations
after the closure of the Center.
For the “Professional dispatch project,” dispatches of center staff-based supervisors and professionals wereconducted based on requests from municipalities to discuss cases with managers and nursery teachers. During
this process, there were some municipalities that recognized the usefulness of collaborating with external
professionals and accordingly created their own budgets for this, and we hope that these trends will spread toother municipalities. For the “Research project,” we provided center staff-led lectures on themes such as “Mental
health care in children after earthquakes.” We invited professional instructors to give training, such as “traumainformed care training” and “PFA for children training” to professionals such as public health nurses, nurseryteachers, and schoolteachers. Participants were also very interested, and it was a good opportunity to consider
possible problems for children, preventing those problems, and the ideal way for providing support.
For the “Raising public awareness project,” we distributed public awareness materials during training
projects and salon activities; moreover, we distributed posters to elementary schools, public high schools, andspecial-needs schools. Additionally, from FY2012 to FY2019, we conducted the “Camp project for parents andchildren in disaster-affected areas” to disseminate correct knowledge about psychological education anddisasters to parents and children in the disaster area.
For the “Research project,” we have been conducting the “Children’s Cohort Survey” since FY2016 withthe aim of evaluating changes in children and families, as well as clarifying efficient support. This is expected
to be valuable survey data; therefore, we will continue this project in the future. The Children’s Mental HealthCare Community Base Project concluded in FY2020; however, “seamless support from children to adults” will
be continued from FY2021 onwards under the three projects of “resident support,” “support for supporters,” and“raising public awareness.” We wish to strive for the required cooperation while continuing projects such as the“PFA for children training” and “Children’s Cohort Survey,” which will be required even from FY2021 onwards.

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