[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 173 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SUPPORTING AID FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN UKRAINE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 1, 2015

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the people of Ukraine, 
and to highlight the need for additional aid to address post-traumatic 
stress among the most vulnerable populations. Today, we mark the 24th 
anniversary of Ukraine's referendum on the Act of Declaration of 
Independence. That vote was supported by 92% of Ukraine's citizens, and 
was a monumental event that made the Soviet era history. Now, in 2015, 
Ukraine and its people are under threat, and the U.S. must do more to 
support the people of Ukraine during this critical time.
  In August, I traveled to Kyiv, which is a magnificent city in a 
beautiful country. Before my visit, I met with some of the leaders of 
the Ukrainian community in my district to learn what they had been 
hearing from friends and relatives in Ukraine and what their concerns 
were. While in Ukraine, I spoke with Ukrainian President Petro 
Poroshenko, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali 
Klitschko. I also met the Secretary of the National Security Defense 
Council Oleksandr Valentynovych as well as several nongovernment 
organizations and members of civil society.
  Through these discussions, it became clear to me that we must do more 
to address the trauma and stress that is caused by the ongoing attacks 
from Russian-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine. This year, through 
USAID, the United States is providing $71 million in aid for economic 
recovery, humanitarian coordination and logistics, nutrition, 
sanitation and water, and shelter. This funding has gone to support 
emergency needs in Ukraine, especially for the protection of refugees, 
internally displaced persons, and conflict victims. While the United 
States has been and will continue to be a critical ally to the 
Ukrainian people, more needs to be done.
  According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre there are an 
estimated 1.4 million internally displaced persons, most from Eastern 
Ukraine, and 12.6 percent are children. The long term effect of the 
violence in Eastern Ukraine, especially on mental health for displaced 
children, can be devastating. I am proud to be working with researchers 
from Yale University in my district, as well as nongovernmental 
organizations on the ground in Ukraine to find ways to support and 
expand training for mental health professionals in Ukraine. As one 
Ukrainian doctor who participated in a Yale training session last year 
put it: ``The effects of this violence, if left untreated, are like 
landmines that will cause damage in our country for decades to come.''
  That is why I am calling upon Congress to support the people of 
Ukraine, particularly those forced from their communities, with 
professional mental health training and support services in Ukraine. We 
must do everything in our power to ensure that the most vulnerable 
Ukrainians are not forgotten.