First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in an extended meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Mental Health.
Together with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko, Head of the Coordination Center for Mental Health at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Oksana Zbitnieva, and Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Mykola Kalashnyk, the President’s wife visited Bilohorodka Lyceum and participated in a “Lesson of Happiness.” This is a class in social and emotional skills, based on an American well-being course.
Bilohorodka Lyceum is one of 24 institutions in Ukraine implementing a pilot project on new approaches to the work of the psychological service in the education system.
“The aim of the lesson is to develop skills of emotional self-regulation, resilience, conflict resolution, relationship-building, the ability to love, empathize, be free and genuine, to become aware of one’s values and emotional needs, and to understand oneself and others,” said the First Lady.
In addition, Olena Zelenska, together with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Minister for Veterans Affairs Nataliia Kalmykova, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Vereshchuk, and Head of the Coordination Center for Mental Health at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Oksana Zbitnieva, visited the veteran hub Veteran Space Irpin.
This space combines legal consultations and business development support with joint sports and cultural activities, as well as psychological assistance.
The First Lady, along with government officials, also visited the Bucha Primary Health Care Center. All 14 of its outpatient clinics already provide mental health support, delivered by family doctors who have undergone mhGAP training.
“Never before in Ukrainian practice has such support been so close to people – not in distant offices, but right where they live, from a specialist they have long known and trust,” Olena Zelenska noted.
Ukraine also has 130 mental health centers and 287 resilience centers, where mental health services are available free of charge to everyone.
The First Lady emphasized that, according to a study conducted by the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How Are You?” and UNICEF, 47% of Ukrainians live in constant stress, and 40% of children show signs of PTSD.
“Practically every second person we meet each day needs help and support, even if they never say it,” the President’s wife pointed out.
According to the First Lady, this makes the development of accessible mental health services at all levels especially important.
“The same study shows that 57% of children and 64% of adults cope better with stress when they have hobbies and a social circle where they can share everything. That is why the ‘How Are You?’ program also supports youth centers, libraries, cultural centers, theaters, and spaces where people can engage in common activities,” added Olena Zelenska.