Much of ICMC’s support in Ukraine is dedicated to mental health and psychosocial programming, especially for children. In this particular program, however, the focus has been on veterans of the 2014 war, when conflict first erupted in eastern parts of Ukraine when Russia unilaterally annexed Russian-speaking oblasts along the countries’ border area.

Supporting the local chapter of the US-based Knights of Columbus, at the request of the Catholic Archeparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk, ICMC is paying the salaries of a team of psychologists and spiritual chaplains to help soldiers who have returned from the frontlines to reintegrate into civilian life, with the support of their wives to help them to cope with emotional and psychological traumas that can affect the whole family, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A series of retreats helps walk with them as they work toward recovery.