July 29, 2026
News
For the fifth year now, Ukrainians have been facing the consequences of Russia’s aggression, from missile attacks and power outages to damaged infrastructure and disruptions to essential services. Some have been sent to the front lines, others have lost relatives or their homes, while many spend nights rushing to shelters because of the escalating shelling. The war in Ukraine affects everyone – even the ones living near the borders with the European Union. In western Ukraine, we therefore support the psychological care and renovation of the Mental Health Centre for children and youths in Lviv. These activities are funded by the public campaign Caritas for Ukraine.
The need for psychological care grows
Photo: We have been providing long-term support for mental health care in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has left deep scars on the mental health of its people and has significantly increased the need for psychosocial support. Many residents are dealing with prolonged stress, psychological trauma, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional exhaustion. Children and young people are among the most vulnerable groups. At the same time, the local healthcare system is under enormous pressure, facing shortages of both funding and staff,
says Kristýna Kvasničková, Country Programme Coordinator for Ukraine and the Middle East. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, approximately 15 million people in the country need psychological support, the International Rescue Committee reports. That is why Caritas Czech Republic has focused its attention on the development of psychological care. Last year, we assisted in the opening of five mental health centres for adults and children, including the Resilience Centre in Truskavets. We also established the first psychological relief room in Transcarpathia.
A new connection with community centres will be established
Now, the public fundraising campaign will support psychological care for children affected by the war, their families and other vulnerable groups. Specifically, our activities focus on strengthening the collaboration between specialised healthcare facilities and community organisations. This way, we aim to bridge the ongoing gap between professional mental health services and accessible psychosocial support at the local level.
Photo: In Lviv, we will renovate the Mental Health Centre for children
The main goal is the renovation of the Mental Health Centre for children and youths in Lviv, which, upon completion, will function as a strategic interregional hub delivering specialised services across western Ukraine. From here, new clients will be connected with community organisations in surrounding areas. Our mental health activities in western Ukraine will support at least 6,000 children each year.
Mental Health Centre in Lviv
The new centre will be a part of the Clinical Centre for Paediatric Medicine, which has been helping children and youths overcome the effects of psychological trauma for eighteen years. We will renovate the centre, from rooms for individual and group therapy to inclusive sanitary facilities and related infrastructure. The centre will also receive modern equipment, including play therapy materials and VR equipment. This will ensure suitable working conditions for a multidisciplinary team and expand children’s access to specialised psychological, psychotherapeutic and psychiatric care. The renovation is supported by the Lviv Regional State Administration.
Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine
We launched the public fundraising campaign Caritas for Ukraine at the beginning of the war, in February 2022. Since then, we have been implementing several activities in the country. Thanks to our donors and institutional partners, we are able to provide targeted support to vulnerable communities while also working towards systematic change. Through study and business grants, we have, for example, supported internally displaced persons in western Ukraine. Furthermore, we have improved the living conditions in accommodation centres and helped people near the front lines during the winter months by supplying them with fuel.
However, the development of healthcare remains our primary focus. Last year, for example, we modernised six rehabilitation centres in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Thank you for helping together with us.
