This guide represents an important contribution to the REPSSI mainstreaming series. Readers will find that they can utilise the practical information shared in this guide by TPO Uganda about its lessons learned along with descriptions of actual community-oriented interventions to inform them in their design and implementation of psychosocial and mental health support in the aftermath of emergencies. While the guide focuses on lessons learned about community-based psychosocial and mental health interventions in the aftermath of emergencies, many of the principles apply equally to non-emergency or developmental contexts.

REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative) along with TPO (Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation) and GPSI (Global Psycho-Social Initiatives) joined together to produce this guide. As historical leaders in the field of psychosocial and mental health support in developing countries, they decided to pool their resources to produce a series of materials that can be used to inform individuals and organisations about effective methods of response in emergency situations.