Purpose: To address the long term needs of those who have been severely traumatized by the Tsunami of 2004.

Mission Statement

The Tsunami Children Foundation (TCF) is dedicated towards nurturing the quality of life and healing the physical and emotional well being of the Thai children and adults psychologically recovering from the traumatic events stemming from the Tsunami of 2004 and other similar events.

Contains:
1. Overview of the Administrative and Staff Structure.
2. Overview of Childcare and Psychological Support Training Services.

Administration and Staff overview.
(Ongoing)

Director of Programs (Dr. Sunya Ratjatawan):
1. Develop and maintain the Tsunami Support Training Program and other logistical programs which may develop according to community needs.

• Analyze and assess the specific needs of the facilities, support personnel and volunteers.
• Help to develop strategies to address needs noted with a specific child-centered treatment plan to be defined by the needs of the respective client.
• Help to develop a structural model to address issues within set budget limitations defined by the Board of Trustees.
• Help execute plans approved by the Foundation.
• Help to hire staff in order to create a training program for those directly addressing the needs of children.
• Help to hire and maintaining necessary support staff.
• Consult with defining limits (time frame, budget, authority).
• Develop agenda for consultant staff(to be defined).
• Monitor staff and progress of the program (to be defined).
• Prepare and present reports and recommendations to the board.
  

Main Office Administrative Support Staff
Office Manager(Naiyanaporn Poungmanee):

1. Fulfills general office manager duties such as reception work, telephone, files, scheduling, public relations, media, translation of documents, coordinating donation pickups such as clothing, food, toys, books, furniture etc.
2. Corresponds with governmental organizations and other public agencies.
3. Commutes to facility locations for meetings with the entire team.
4. Maintains communication with support facilities in other countries (USA).

Childcare Support Staff.
Therapists and Consultants and Volunteers (Rotating Staff):

1. Executes therapy sessions; train others to help facilitate therapy sessions.
2. Maintains daily activity logs and progress notes; show others how to keep such records.
3. Conducts individual or group counseling; train other personnel in such methods.
4. Helps with HIV/AIDS educational programs.

Childcare Support Training Services
Overview

General: Help to provide the basic necessities of the children of the tsunami disaster and other possible future events. (Advise various organizations in terms of providing the following services and information: maintaining daily activity logs and progress notes; monitoring educational progress; charting dental/medical needs; facilitating group/individual counseling such as grief therapy, panic anxiety disorder; assessment methodologies for autism, ADHD, and other childhood psychological mental disorders.)

1. We have been helping to train crisis managers, therapists, counselors and other psychological professionals in order to help provide long term services.

• We train personnel in regards to the intake process.
• We train personnel to deal with children following an age specific regime.
• We train personnel to deal with grief counseling and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• We introduced specific training methodologies for various therapy modes to other NGOs.
• We offer basic general training in order to address first aid and other issues.
• We help facilitate other programs like vaccinations and healthcare.
• We help with providing a proper diet in order to create a stable psychological environment.
  
  

2. Intake assessment process

• We have a process of selection in order to start psychiatric evaluations.
• We conduct psychological interviews for common Axis I Disorders.
  - Special emphasis: Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.
  - Special emphasis: Acute Stress Disorder
• We conduct psychological interview for common Axis II Disorders.
  - Special emphasis: Separation Anxiety Disorder.
• We conduct psychological interview for Childhood Disorders.
  

3. Age Appropriate Activities:

• We believe that children should be divided into groups according to their age and provided an age appropriate therapy plan.
  - Ages 0 through 5 will be the Baby/Toddler group.
  - Ages 6 through 10 will the Young Children group.
  - Ages 11 through 15 will be the Pre-Teen group.
  - Ages 16 through 20 will be the Teenager group.
  - Each group will have different therapy goals.
  - The Teenager group will focus on therapy and completion of high school and potential college education along with a job skill so that they will be able to join the work force. In addition, we will teach them the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention.
  - The younger groups will concentrate mostly with their therapy and education.
• Each group requires different forms of therapy due to different levels of emotional and cognitive development. A single all encompassing methodology will not inherently be as successful as a targeted form of therapy.
• Our current service populations are located at Ban Khuk Khak and Ban Prue Teel.

4. Grief Counseling.

• Children and adults are regularly assessed as to what stage of grief they are in so that the staff may provide a more accurate treatment plan.
• Venting sessions have been sponsored so that the children and adults are able to take out their frustrations and anger. It is well known that Thai culture frowns upon the exhibition of extreme negative emotion, but these children will need to release their pent up emotions. Examples of aggression therapy are yelling, punching pillows and other physical outlets. We will teach them coping strategies and meditation techniques for when the patients feel overwhelmed by anxiety and fear, they can address these issues.
• We use desensitization therapy to help them over come their phobia of water, beaches or anything that causes a flashback of the tsunami. We will address and try to prevent symptoms of PTSD ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

5. Additional forms of therapy

• Animal therapy: Creates opportunities for our residents to visit animals in order to help with the therapy session. We have access to a 1000 acre ranch that will allow us to bring the children to a nature retreat with access to horses and other animals that will help the children to sharpen their focus/attention spans and to develop a positive rapport with the therapy team.
• Music therapy: Creates opportunities for music therapists to work with our residents. This form of therapy has a number of uses as noted by The American Music Therapy Association. (www.musictherapy.org). This program is designed for the purpose of reducing stress and anxiety during therapy sessions and to teach the children the fundamentals of meditation during the times when they feel depressed, angry and/or lonely.
• Gardening therapy: Creates opportunities for people to learn patience, equate their lives to the natural cycle in the process of life and a way another way to meditate and focus their energy towards mental healing.
  

6. General Staff Training:

• We provide training in the current methods and techniques of child psychology and crisis management interventions. We offer training in such things as crisis counseling, prevention/intervention methods, HIV/AIDS training so that they may educate our teenager group of children. In addition, we supply basic training in CPR and First Aid. Therapy teams have been recruited from universities in return for internship hours and possible salary to be determined later. All members will be expected to attend all mandatory staff meetings so that they are all on the same page.

7. Medical and Dental issues.

• We have partnered with other NGOs to provide dental and vision care on a spot basis. We help facilitate the visitations of medical teams.

8. Dietary Issues.

• We offer counselling in regards to diet and health.