[A new structure for mental health and welfare in the Soso area to promote the recovery of people in Fukushima from the 3.11 earthquake and nuclear power plant accident].

Immediately after the 3.11 Earthquake and Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident, 5 hospitals with psychiatric beds within a 30-km radius of the nuclear power plant were ordered to move their inpatients to other hospitals outside the 30-km zone. As a result, more than 800 inpatients in total were transferred to other hospitals within or outside Fukushima Prefecture, and the 5 hospitals were closed. In addition, 3 psychiatric clinics within the 30-km radius stopped operating temporarily. In March of 2011, several volunteer members of the Department of Neuropsychiatry and the Mental Health Division, Family Nursing Department, Fukushima Medical University, organized the Mental Health Care Team of Fukushima Medical University to support the disaster victims. The team opened a temporary psychiatric outpatient clinic in Soma City General Hospital through the courtesy of its staff to provide services for people needing and seeking assistance for mental health. The team continued to provide psychiatric services in this temporary clinic until the end of 2011. A new psychiatric clinic, 'Mental Clinic Nagomi', was inaugurated by the team in January 2012 with the kind support of many volunteers from throughout Japan. At the same time, the NPO 'New Psychiatric Care, Health and Welfare System in Soso (Kokoro-no-Care Nagomi)' was also inaugurated mainly by the team members. Mental Clinic Nagomi and Kokoro-no-Care Nagomi closely collaborate with each other to provide new community-based and out-reach mental health services in the Soso area. Kokoro-no-Care Nagomi (abbreviated as KCN) has accepted the role of the Soso Branch of Fukushima Kokoro-no-Care Center entrusted by the Fukushima Center. KCN has also been designated as a facility performing the Out-Reach Project responding to the complex disaster in Fukushima planned by the Japanese Government. KCN has been engaged in work to support and ensure the mental health of disaster victims, persons with psychiatric problems, and community residents living in temporary or their own houses located in the Soso area. We wish to express our sincere thanks to the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN) for awarding us the 2013 JSPN Award for Special Contributions to Psychiatric Practice. We think that this award represents JSPN's wish to encourage the people and psychiatric professionals of the Tohoku District. Encouraged by the award, we have resolved to continue our efforts to facilitate the recovery of the mental health of victims and residents of Fukushima. We wish to express our sincere and deep gratitude to Fukushima Prefecture, the Japan Society, Japanese Medical Society of America, JAMSNET Tokyo, CWAJ (College Women's Association of Japan), The Englewood NJ Rotary Club, The NJ Rotary District 7490, Médecins du Monde (MDM), Shin-Nihon Seiyaku Company Ltd., and all the individuals who have kindly supported us.