Referring to the responsibilities of the Counseling and Psychological Affairs Office, Dr. Ebrahim Ghaffari, Director General of Counseling and Psychological Affairs at the State Welfare Organization (Behzisti), stated: "Strengthening family foundations, providing various counseling services to the public, and offering a wide range of psychological services—including child and adolescent support, physical-academic-educational health, psychometrics, psychotherapy, elderly mental health, and more—are among the key duties of this office to enhance community mental health."
Ghaffari added: "The 1480 telephone counseling hotline is active in 31 provincial centers across the country, providing free services through local counselors. Last year, this hotline served 1.7 million people. Additionally, 3,000 governmental and non-governmental counseling centers offer in-person psychological and counseling services, with approximately 1.47 million people benefiting from these centers last year. Furthermore, 139 local mental health centers primarily focus on primary mental health prevention by organizing educational programs."
He continued: "To ensure equitable access to services, last year, around 60,000 counseling sessions were subsidized for those in need, particularly individuals under the coverage of the State Welfare Organization."
Preventive and Promotive Psychological Services: Ghaffari noted that various preventive and promotive psychological services, including anxiety screening, life skills training, and family empowerment during adolescent development, were provided. Over 98,000 children were screened for anxiety last year, with more than 10,000 children referred to specialized centers for further support.
Educational Programs: Ghaffari reported that over 211,000 people participated in 7,270 family life education courses last year. Additionally, 176,000 individuals attended 6,900 premarital education courses, and approximately 42,000 people participated in 1,951 parenting education courses. A total of 90,000 life skills training sessions were conducted. Overall, the office provided 15.65 million person-hours of services last year.
Crisis Intervention Services: Regarding psychological services for crisis intervention, Ghaffari stated: "1,004 Mahab teams (volunteer crisis intervention teams) have been formed across the country, with 3,000 psychologists and social workers as members. Of these, 767 teams are actively operational. Additionally, 501 coordination bases have been established to serve as a link between the State Welfare Organization, administrative bodies, and specialized teams, responsible for organization and planning."
Enhancing Psychological Capital: Ghaffari emphasized that the primary goal of all mental health services provided by the Counseling and Psychological Affairs Office is to strengthen individuals' psychological capital, a concept rooted in positive psychology. This psychological capital enhances performance and well-being in work and life environments and consists of four components: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. He added that psychological capital is characterized by a focus on individuals' strengths, its potential for development, and its impact on performance. It is applicable to both individuals and organizations, contributing to increased productivity, reduced burnout, and improved job satisfaction through workshops designed to strengthen these components.
Your Comment