One of the key, yet often underestimated, challenges is the psychological and emotional state of patients and healthcare workers who operate under conditions of prolonged danger, shelling, and energy instability.

This is precisely the challenge that the MindSpace project – implemented by ZDOROVI in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and supported by the Swiss Confederation – has been working to address. In the Sumy region, the project covered medical facilities in Sumy, Konotop, and Trostianets, becoming an example of how mental health support can be integrated into the daily work of hospitals.

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Psychological Support in Hospitals: Key Figures and Approach

The project focused on providing individual and group psychological support to patients and healthcare workers directly at medical facilities.

Four psychologists based in the region – who are familiar with the local context, community dynamics, and the real needs of the population – were involved in the project’s implementation. This approach made it possible to provide not one-off consultations, but a continuous support process tailored to the specific context of the communities and hospitals. The specialists spent approximately two months at the facilities.

During the implementation period:

- individual psychological consultations were provided to patients and healthcare staff;

- group sessions were conducted to address emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and professional burnout.

In total, the project reached 640 beneficiaries – people who gained access to professional psychological support in settings where such assistance is usually limited or unavailable – across communities in the Sumy region.

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Infrastructure Component: “Warm Rooms” Creating Safe Conditions for Access to Support

An important component of the MindSpace project in Sumy, Konotop, and Trostianets was the creation of four specialized “warm rooms” for MHPSS activities.

These spaces were designed with the realities of a frontline region in mind and included:

- heaters;

- blankets and pillows;

- comfortable areas for individual sessions;

- electric kettles;

- portable charging stations, allowing activities to continue even during prolonged power outages.

As a result, the provision of psychological support did not depend on weather conditions or the state of the power grid – factors that directly affect the availability of medical services in the Sumy region.

It is also important to note that, after the end of the project, the “warm rooms” remain open for general use by both patients and healthcare professionals at the medical facilities.

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Separate Component: Okhtyrka

In parallel with the project’s psychological component, in the framework of the MindSpace, a separate initiative aimed at strengthening trauma care was implemented in the Okhtyrka community.

Modern trauma equipment was procured and put into operation at Okhtyrka Central District Hospital, including an electric dermatome, orthopedic devices, and an arthroscopic stand set. The total budget for this procurement was approximately UAH 3,000,000.

This component of the project is large-scale and strategically important for the region and has become the third phase of support for the Okhtyrka Central District Hospital. Previously, with the support of ZDOROVI and the International Rescue Committee, the hospital received modern equipment for its ophthalmology and urology departments, enabling the gradual strengthening of key areas of medical care in the community.

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Impact Beyond a Single Project

MindSpace has become more than a humanitarian initiative; it serves as a practical model for integrating mental health support into healthcare systems in frontline regions. In environments where hospitals operate under constant pressure from security threats, resource shortages, and emotional exhaustion, psychological support is no longer an “additional service” but a prerequisite for the stable functioning of medical facilities.

The experience in the Sumy region demonstrates that when psychologists are embedded within hospital teams, and support is available daily – not only during periods of crisis – it directly improves the quality of medical care, reduces burnout among healthcare professionals, and strengthens community resilience.

It is precisely this type of comprehensive solution – combining mental health support, infrastructure improvements, and strengthened clinical capacity – that defines a new logic of humanitarian response in wartime: not merely to “patch” the system, but to consistently reinforce and develop it. MindSpace lays the groundwork for scaling similar approaches across other frontline regions of Ukraine, where the demand for psychological support continues to grow alongside the challenges of war.

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