During the 2025–2026 fiscal year, Zanmi Lasante’s mental health program conducted 9,743 consultations with 3,077 patients, 65% of whom were women and 35% men. Among those treated, 135 had suicidal thoughts and 26 had attempted suicide.
These figures illustrate why care cannot depend solely on a person’s ability to travel to a clinic. When travel is difficult and families are under constant pressure, services must reach out to the places where people live, study, and seek help.
The program therefore organized eight mobile clinics in camps for displaced persons and remote areas. These interventions made it possible to assess the physical and psychological needs of people who would have had difficulty reaching a health facility.
In Ti Sitwon, Saint-Marc, four support groups brought together 42 displaced people. Another 64 people participated in relaxation activities, 72% of whom were women and 45% young people. Awareness-raising activities conducted in several camps also reached 240 adolescents.
This presence enables the teams to identify signs of distress earlier, refer people to appropriate services, and better understand the daily challenges faced by displaced families. The program also works with community health workers, whose home visits, educational activities, and follow-up strengthen the link between families and clinical services.
Children and adolescents play a key role in this approach. They may experience fear, grief, displacement, or disruption to their education without always being able to express how they feel.
In Hinche, eight schools participated in the school-based mental health project. The program raised awareness about mental health and well-being among 1,600 students, trained 64 teachers, and organized sessions for more than 200 parents. Thirty-two students participated in group therapy activities, and 91 others benefited from career guidance activities.
Teachers and parents received practical information on how to recognize signs of distress and know when to refer a young person to professional services.
The need for rapid intervention became clear following a violent incident in Saint-Marc. The team provided emergency psychological support to 103 students. This intervention gave them a space to talk about what they had experienced and helped identify those who needed additional support.
The program also involves young ambassadors in substance use prevention. Through art, radio, social media, and community activities, they share information with their peers that is tailored to their reality. During Good Deeds Day, a partnership with ACTIVEH helped raise awareness among 101 young people.
The expansion of community services also relies on better-prepared clinical teams. Four psychologists and one physician were trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy. At Sainte-Thérèse Hospital in Hinche, 59 interns and residents in social work received training on depression. The program also collaborated with pediatric residents to improve mental health care for children.
To enhance the quality of care, the team conducted 275 clinical supervision sessions and organized eight meetings of its quality assurance committee. A project presented by the program won third prize at the HealthQual forum in the Central Department.
Support is also provided to professionals who continue to work despite insecurity, displacement, and personal losses. Seventeen wellness activities were held at Zanmi Lasante sites. Following security-related incidents in Boucan-Carré, 31 employees received psychological counseling. In Hinche, 23 dance therapy sessions were organized, and all participants reported an improvement in their well-being and team spirit.
For people living with severe mental health disorders, consultations are only part of the journey. Approximately 114 people received social support. Five support groups brought together 33 patients, while social workers conducted 11 home visits. These interventions help patients maintain their connections to their care, their families, and their communities.
Significant barriers remain. Insecurity, transportation challenges, the closure of certain facilities, and limited resources continue to disrupt services. However, this year’s results show that it is possible to reach more people when care extends beyond the walls of healthcare facilities.
By linking consultations, mobile clinics, schools, community health workers, social support, and staff support, Zanmi Lasante helps people in distress get help sooner and ensures they do not have to face fear, grief, or displacement alone.
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