China

Since February 2010 the IVP and the Beijing University have started a collaboration to stretch and enhance the knowledge about psychosocial care after disasters and calamities. Last February, Prof. Dr. Rolf Kleber and Dr. Ton de Wijs visited China for a first meeting with Prof. Dr. Hong Ma (Peking University Health Science Center – Institute of Mental Health). Prof. Dr. Hong Ma has founded several mental health centers across China. An important focus of the mental health centers is to provide specialised psychosocial care for victims of traumatic events, such as (natural) disasters. China is frequently hit by disasters and calamities, such as earthquakes, floods and industrial accidents. The mental health centers also aim to improve the knowledge about the psychosocial consequences of traumatic events.
The meeting was organised to assess the possibilities for coöperation in the field of trauma care, research and education. It resulted in a partnership between the IVP, University of Utrecht and the Beijing University.

The main topics of the coöperation are the exchange of knowledge and the development of research opportunities in the field of disasters and calamities. In 2011 the IVP will also develop and implement a training for Chinese mental health care professionals about the psychosocial care following disasters and calamities. Furthermore, the use of e-health applications will receive a high amount of attention and will be further developed. In the future, Chinese students will be trained in the Netherlands to give workshops in China.

The establishment of Schouten China in Beijing was very helpful in preparing and organising the visit and establishing the contacts between the IVP and Beijing University.