Post-Disaster Mental Distress Relief: Health Promotion and Knowledge Exchange in Partnership with a Refugee Diaspora Community

Authors

  • Laura Simich University of Toronto and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
  • Lisa Andermann University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Joanna Anneke Rummens Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto
  • Ted Lo University of Toronto and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25071/1920-7336.21396

Keywords:

Local Distress Relief Network, LDRN, Sri Lankan Tamils, Canada, refugees, diaspora, psychosocial support, mental distress, health

Abstract

After the 2004 Asian tsunami, a group of concerned scientists, physicians, and community service providers united to form a Local Distress Relief Network (LDRN) to provide information, referral, and care to affected members of the large Sri Lankan Tamil community in Toronto. The LDRN organized a workshop that brought together community-based organizations and international and local experts in mental health and disaster response to review existing knowledge on disaster response and to share community knowledge and experience. This article summarizes the development of the network, the workshop proceedings and joint recommendations for community based, culturally appropriate mental distress relief.

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Published

2008-04-01

How to Cite

Simich, L., Andermann, L., Rummens, J. A., & Lo, T. (2008). Post-Disaster Mental Distress Relief: Health Promotion and Knowledge Exchange in Partnership with a Refugee Diaspora Community. Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, 25(1), 44–54. https://doi.org/10.25071/1920-7336.21396