Head of the UGCC and General Dallaire discuss mental health support for the military and their families in Ukraine
General Dallaire presented an initiative to the Head of the UGCC to study the mental health needs in Ukraine, particularly among the families of military personnel and veterans. He shared his personal experience in reorganizing the mental health care system for veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces during his time as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. This was reported by the UGCC Department for Information.
General Dallaire, along with representatives from civil society organizations and the Institute of Psychiatry at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, has initiated an effort to engage the Canadian government, as well as those of Sweden and the Netherlands, to launch a long-term program in Ukraine aimed at supporting the mental health of families of active-duty military personnel and veterans.
General Dallaire's personal traumatic experience during the 1994 Rwandan genocide has driven him to work diligently for the healing of veterans, not only in Canada but also internationally. His current goal is to promote the mental well-being of military personnel and their families, as these families are crucial to the healing process.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav has expressed sincere support for the humanitarian initiatives led by Mr. Dallaire and his colleagues in Ukraine. He stated, “The future of our nation depends on our ability to address the mental health challenges faced by military personnel, veterans, and their families.”
Additionally, the Head of the Church noted that caring for the mental well-being of Ukrainians has been a central focus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) since the Revolution of Dignity. He informed the guests about the main objectives of the Church's clergy training program “Healing the Wounds of War” and highlighted effective programs from the Department of Military Chaplaincy and other commissions of the Patriarchal Curia focused on mental and spiritual health, particularly concerning the families of military personnel, as well as those who have fallen, gone missing, or been wounded, and those recently released from captivity.
During his second visit to Ukraine amid the war, General Dallaire met with the leadership and representatives from various ministries and government agencies. At the conclusion of the meeting, the attendees reached an agreement with His Beatitude Sviatoslav to enhance cooperation aimed at addressing the spiritual wounds inflicted on the Ukrainian people by the conflict.
Also present at the meeting was Fr. Andrii Zelinskyi, the Deputy Head of the Department of Military Chaplaincy of the Patriarchal Curia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC).
