The role of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in EMTs is crucial, especially during emergencies and disasters, which elevate mental health risks. According to the WHO, timely MHPSS interventions can reduce these risks, promote recovery, and enhance resilience. In the PT EMT, psychologists support the EMT team’s stability and functionality and intervene with patients or affected populations as needed. Their interventions include managing complex emotional situations, providing psychoeducation, and assisting in grief processes and referrals.

Reflect on the importance of MHPSS in EMT deployments, analyzing psychologists’ interventions and key lessons learnt.

Integrative literature review and PT EMT cases study.

The literature review emphasizes the importance of early psychological intervention during disasters, outbreaks, and complex emergencies. In PT EMT’s experience, nine psychologists, trained through the Disaster Response Core Training Course, have been deployed in seven missions. Their work highlights the need for psychologists in EMT deployments to ensure team well-being and effective patient care.

Considering this, a clinical guide for psychological intervention in disaster situations is being developed. INEM’s Psychologists are also advancing psychological first aid training for health professionals and providing advanced training for psychologists in emergency intervention. This initiative was vital during events such as World Youth Day 2023, a mass gathering event.

The experience in the PT EMT, allow us to recommend the Psychologists’ enrolment in the EMT deployments. This inclusion has shown significant benefits, reinforcing the need for ongoing training and the development of best practices for psychological support in disaster response.