UFCO has was approached to help support a project whose goal was to bring mental health care to the victims of the Sichuan Earthquake. The project brings psychologists from the United States to Sichuan to train local residents in how to help treat psychological trauma of the children survivors. Sources are estimating that there are up to 600,000 individuals who have significant psychological trauma. We are currently accepting donations on behalf of this project. If you wish to donate via paypal please indicate that your donation is to go towards CHERP.

Please find some more information about the initiative below. The below text is from excerpts from an email sent out to the friends of the Foundation for Human Enrichment.

UFCO is working together with a team of doctors headed by Laurie Leitch of the Foundation for Human Enrichment. Laurie is the Director of Research for the Foundation for Human Enrichment and also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI), a non-profit trauma training organization that provides training in trauma stabilization nationally and internationally. She has particular interest in “at risk” populations including survivors of catastrophic events. She provided treatment after 9-11, as well as treatment and clinical training in southern Thailand after the tsunami, in Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita where she made 10 trips to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and in Rwanda with post-genocide counselors and prisoners.

Dr. Leitch’s research has included social program and clinical evaluations for national foundations, the federal government, and non-profit organizations. She has conducted two studies of the effectiveness of somatic intervention after natural disasters. One was published in September 2007 in Traumatology and the other has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Social Work. Her specialty is cross-cultural training and research with populations who have experienced complex trauma.

The primary focus of this project is to provide training for healthcare providers, school personnel and others who are in key positions to help children heal from the potentially devastating effects of the trauma they have experienced. It is known that thousands of people have died, many more thousands were injured and thousands of children have been orphaned. We know that many more children have been traumatized by the experiences they have endured during and following the earthquake.

There are 6 planned phases for CHERP.

Phase 1 took place in early July 2008. Dr. Laurie Leitch came to Sichuan to meet with Chinese researchers to collaborate on the design and implementation of this project. Phase 1 was important as the first assessments were made of the condition of earthquake survivors before the trainings and treatment. Without this first assessment, it would be impossible to know if the trainings were helpful to the survivors.

At the end of July 2008, Phase 2 brought a team of 10 to the affected areas in Sichuan. Lisa and her team successfully travelled to the earthquake-affected area of Sichuan Province with Beijing United Family Hospital’s Dr. Blinn to provide culturally-appropriate psychological (trauma) first aid training, in conjunction with our Chinese hosts, to facilitate psychological stabilization in these early stages of intervention. Stabilization and re-establishment of equilibrium in the nervous system can often allow individuals to access their own resilience and healthy coping methods. Because some may need more intensive interventions that require additional training and skills, it is important to bring the team back for Phase 3 in September 2008.

Phase Three will entail Laurie and another team The Phase Three team is from the Trauma resource Institute (TRI) and will provide 3-day TRM trainings in Sichuan. The Trauma Resiliency Model is a skills-based, biologically oriented intervention which offers practical stabilization skills to practitioners as well as survivors. TRM training can be offered to clinical responders as well as others who are working with survivors of natural disasters such as teachers and parents of suffering children. Phase 3 will include training for those working with adult survivors as well as children.

Though we have funded the first few phases of CHERP, we are still in need of fiscal support for the rest of project. If you would like to donate to CHERP, you can make a donation via our paypal link on our website. Please specify that your donation is to go towards the Sichuan project. Our mailing address is also available below for checks. If you are in Beijing, we can accept cash. Please also send us an email to foundation@ufh.com.cn to confirm your donation.

United Foundation for Chinese Orphans
c/o Charlene Sessoms
Chindex International, Inc.
4340 East West Highway, Suite 1100
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
USA

**As UFCO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in the United States, your donation will be eligible for a US tax deduction.

Thank you,

Sarah
UFCO Operations
foundation@ufh.com.cn