The Douglas Institute is the host of the Annual meeting of the Trauma & Global Health Program. For three days, researchers from Guatemala, Nepal, Peru, Sri Lanka and Canada will talk about ways to alleviate the disease in their country. The event is organised by the Associate Scientific Director at the Douglas Institute, Duncan Pedersen MD, MPH.  Jacques Tremblay MD, also from the Douglas, takes part as a consultant on telepsychiatry and distance education.

Although psychological trauma has been a central concern for medical practitioners working with veterans and refugees, less attention has been paid to the mental health of civilian populations which have been confronted with armed conflict, wars and natural disasters. Government programs and international agencies engaged in relief operations and post conflict stabilization, have adopted models of clinical and psychosocial intervention developed in western settings, remain of limited social and cultural relevance and uncertain therapeutic efficacy.

The global program will enable country teams to conduct a research and action program of advanced studies, continuing education, and knowledge transfer in the social and cultural dimensions of mental health. The ultimate objective of the program is to reduce the mental health burden of civilian populations exposed to political violence and natural disasters, foster the process of healing and generate improved mental health policies and services in the participating countries.

The Trauma and Global Health Program is funded by the Global Health Research Initiative, Teasdale-Corti Team Grants Program and supported by the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and McGill University.