Psychological Support to Be Provided to Individuals Involved in the War and the Public

The government has approved a psychological rehabilitation program for individuals who participated in the military operations unleashed by the Republic of Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, as well as for the general public. This initiative is derived from point 7 of the roadmap published by the Prime Minister of Armenia on November 18, 2020.

As noted by Minister of Emergency Situations Andranik Piloian, about 15-30% of the population experiences post-traumatic stress disorder following the end of military operations. Accordingly, a series of rehabilitative measures need to be taken to improve the psychological atmosphere, targeting both those directly related to the military actions and the general population.

The targeted groups defined by the program include: parents and family members of missing persons or prisoners of war, individuals who have been in captivity and their families, persons who sustained injuries or disabilities during military operations and their families, family members of deceased servicemen or civilians, participants in the military actions, including those conscripted through mobilization and volunteers, as well as displaced persons (with the support of psychological hotlines) and individuals not directly involved (also with the support of psychological hotlines).

The program is set to be implemented not only in Armenia but also in Artsakh. The government intends to procure services from organizations specialized in psychological counseling and psychotherapy that have provided services in this field over the past three years in order to facilitate the organization, coordination, and logistical planning of psychological support for the population, particularly for those affected by the military operations.