The National Capacity Building (NCB) Project at the Center for Victims of Torture and the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma is pleased to announce this recorded webinar, held on April 21, 2026, on “Integrated Health – Mental Health and Primary Care Collaboration Opening Pandora’s Box”.
Description
Torture and all other forms of human rights violations are highly associated with medical, mental health, and spiritual problems over the entire life span. Special attention is needed to address the medical problems of family members, particularly women and children. Women’s health is of special concern because of the medical, mental health, and spiritual impact of the violence that is specifically targeted towards them. Children and teenagers may suffer from direct torture, in addition to resulting physical and mental health problems of displacement and homelessness.
Survivors of torture (SOT) providers can play a key role in offering the torture survivors an integrated holistic approach to health care and health promotion by working closely with specialists from different fields (i.e. primary health care, obstetrics and women’s health, and pediatrics).
Every torture survivor and their family members need primary health care. The SOT provider’s role in communicating with primary health care is essential. Research reveals the maximum health care benefits result from co-locating behavioral health, primary health care, and social services. To support these services, the HPRT 11-point toolkit has been effective worldwide in offering a science based, culturally valid system of care.
Learning Objectives
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand and apply the proven scientific importance of a co-located primary health care, behavioral health, social service system of care.
- Learn the importance of establishing regularly scheduled communication between primary care health teams and the SOT treatment team to monitor and improve.
- Learn and use the HPRT 11-Point Toolkit and teach the primary health care team how to use the 11-Point Toolkit.
- Top Priority: Learn how to elicit the torture survivor’s trauma story and teach this method to primary health care providers.
- Practice and teach self-care; engage primary care practitioners in BALINT GROUPS.
Resources
- PowerPoint Presentation
- American Psychiatric Association, 2026
- Nundy S, Cooper LA, Mate KS. The Quintuple Aim for Health Care Improvement: A New Imperative to Advance Health Equity. JAMA. 2022;327(6):521–522. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.25181.
- Reed SJ, Shore KK, Tice JA. Effectiveness and Value of Integrating Behavioral Health Into Primary Care. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(5):691–692. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.0804
- Borell-Carrio FC et al. The biopsychosocial model 25 years later: practice and scientific inquiry. Ann Fam Med 2004;2:576-582.
- Engel C. The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science 1977;196:129-136
- Mollica, R. F. (2006). Healing invisible wounds: Paths to hope and recovery in a violent world. Harcourt.
- Mollica, R. F. (2018). A manifesto: Healing a violent world. Solis Press.
- Mollica, R. F., & Agosín, M. (2022). Manifesto IV: Healing a violent world: The will to heal and survive in an apocalyptic world. Lulu Press.
Presenters:
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Dr. Richard F. Mollica , Director, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HPRT)
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Eugene F. Augusterfer, LCSW , Deputy Director, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HPRT)