The Tsunami Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Center is a nonprofit institution located in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, committed to the study, treatment and education of PTSD and related mental health

Mental health

Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...

 issues, many of which are specific to Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

.

The tsunami

Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...

 of December 26, 2004 devastated lives in many ways. In addition to the loss of lives and homes, many people in damaged areas continue to experience the effects of the disaster in the form of widespread psychological trauma

Psychological trauma

Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...

.

The Tsunami PTSD Center proposes specifically to address the mental health needs of tsunami-affected areas through clinical research

Clinical research

Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...

, treatment programs and educational initiatives. These initiatives will be created for health professionals and policy makers, researchers, and the general public.

The objectives of the Tsunami PTSD Center are threefold:

1. Conduct clinical research to determine the best treatment paths and options for patients with PTSD in tsunami-affected areas, and in other areas of Asia affected with mental health issues. A DNA database will continue to be compiled as a mission-critical tool in this effort.
2. Create programs and processes that systematically look at mental health issues such as PTSD from a public health
   Public health
   Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
   
    perspective, and that incorporate research results into public health systems in a horizontal and coordinated manner.
3. Educate the general public and healthcare professionals about PTSD and stress-related mental health issues. This initiative involves educating medical professionals and policy makers, educating the public through awareness campaigns and targeted messaging, as well as coordinating information for clinical studies among research professionals.

The Tsunami PTSD Center proposes to accomplish this by working collaboratively with international health organizations, public health ministries, private businesses and academia within Asia and around the world.

The initial partnership platform of the Office of the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....

, Thailand Ministry of Public Health, Thailand Department of Mental Health, Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...

 and the Thailand Center for Excellence in Life Sciences

TCELS

The Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences is a non-profit organization that operates under the supervision of the Royal Thai Government. It was established on June 18, 2004 by Royal Decree of the King of Thailand...

(TCELS) has provided a foundation and seed funding for this project. The Tsunami PTSD Center will actively raise funds from the public and private sectors in order to execute its mission.