Experience report: Mental health interventions during the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

This Experience Report explores the mobilisation of mental health professionals and students who responded to the catastrophic floods in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, in 2024. Triggered by prolonged rainfall and exacerbated by urbanisation and the influence of El Niño, this event caused unprecedented devastation, with over 615,000 individuals displaced and severe socioeconomic impacts. This paper aims to describe the experiences of mental health professionals and students involved in psychosocial care provided to victims between May and July 2024 in rescue sites and shelters at Porto Alegre.

Drawing from the collective reflections of a multidisciplinary team, this report highlights the challenges, adaptations, and lessons learned during psychosocial interventions conducted in rescue sites and shelters. The 18 participants included were psychologists, psychiatrists, nursing students, and faculty members from prominent academic institutions, providing a diverse range of perspectives. Data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed via Google Forms, data analysis used thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to interpret the open-ended questionnaire responses.

The report identifies significant gaps in disaster-specific planning and training, revealing how the absence of clear protocols led to disorganisation during initial responses. Despite challenges, mental health teams adapted flexibly and demonstrated resilience, implementing interventions that addressed acute emotional symptoms, grief, and long-term psychological impacts. Vulnerable populations, including low-income and racialised groups, faced compounded risks due to systemic inequities and inadequate public policies. Mental health professionals themselves experienced substantial emotional strain, navigating their dual roles as responders and affected community members.

The findings emphasised the critical need to integrate mental health into disaster planning, prioritise training in psychosocial care, and adopt community-focused approaches to enhance collective resilience. This report contributes to disaster response discussions by providing insights into the lived experiences of mental health responders. It offers recommendations to strengthen preparedness and response frameworks, ensuring equitable and sustainable recovery for affected populations.