Peruvian health professionals continue building their capacities to provide mental health care to trafficked persons

Lima – In Peru, more than 200 professionals from Community Mental Health Centers and Child Abuse Health Care Modules will enhance their capacities to provide direct mental health care to child and adolescent victims of abuse and/or trafficking.

The National School of Public Health (ENSAP), along with the Mental Health General Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MINSA), inaugurated today the second edition of this job training program, in line with the technical guidelines approved by that sector in June 2021, with the technical assistance of the ILO.

Carlos Gálvez, academic coordinator in charge of the program, explained the teaching and evaluation methodology, and presented the 4 modules comprising the program, which will be developed with synchronous and asynchronous activities during the next five months:

• General aspects of abuse and child trafficking
• Complex developmental trauma
• Intervention with child and adolescent victims of abuse and/or trafficking using a trauma-informed approach
• Recurrent comorbidity in cases of abuse and trafficking in persons

The trainers are renowned national and international experts from the ILO and Dignity Health. There are also specialized tutors from MINSA to monitor the participants' progress.

Karina Jensen, ILO technical specialist, pointed out that this course focuses on addressing the trauma suffered by the victims, which will allow for a better understanding of the severe impact that trauma has on the developmental process, recovery and subsequent social and economic integration of the victims.

“Recent evidence suggests that an early and specialized mental health approach helps victims and their families with the development and implementation of more sustainable life projects.

Karina Jensen, technical specialist, ILO Office for the Andean Countries

In turn, July Caballero, from MINSA's Mental Health Directorate, stressed the importance of the professional specialization working in Community Mental Health Centers (CSMC) and Child Abuse Health Care Modules (MAMIS). She also highlighted the importance of coordination between those entities and the Specialized Shelters (CARE) that provide services to child trafficking victims.

To that end, the ILO has been providing technical assistance to strengthen effective coordination among those three entities (CSMC, MAMIS and CARE) through training workshops in Lima, Loreto, Cusco, Madre de Dios and Puno.

This job training program is carried out as part of the activities of the project Partnerships in Action to End Child Trafficking in Peru, implemented within the framework of the Child Protection Compact Partnership (CPC), financed by the U.S. Department of State.