Mental health support is being positioned as a critical component of climate resilience efforts in Southern Negros Occidental through Project OASIS, a community-based initiative that aims to help disaster-affected communities recover and adapt to climate-related challenges.
In a press statement on Tuesday, June 2, the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute Inc. (NYLI)- Climate Solutions Center, said it has begun strengthening partnerships with local government units in Bago City, La Carlota City, and Himamaylan City to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into local disaster preparedness and response programs.
Through a series of coordination meetings, Project OASIS brought together officials from the social welfare, health, disaster management, and youth sectors to discuss how mental health services can be incorporated into existing climate and disaster risk reduction efforts.
Unlike traditional disaster interventions that often focus on physical recovery, Project OASIS aims to address the psychological and emotional impacts of disasters, particularly among children, youth, and other vulnerable groups, the group said.
It added that the project plans to provide direct Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), establish community-based support groups and referral systems, and help local governments institutionalize mental health services within their disaster risk reduction and climate action plans.
NYLI said the initiative seeks to ensure that communities are not only prepared for the physical impacts of disasters but are also equipped to cope with the emotional and mental health challenges that often follow emergencies and climate-related events.
As the project advances, participating local governments are expected to formalize their partnership through Memorandums of Agreement, paving the way for the establishment of long-term, community-based mental health support systems across Southern Negros Occidental.
Project OASIS is implemented by the NYLI Climate Solutions Center with support from the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.