CVT Testimony on Syrian Conflict for Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will hold a hearing today on "Syria After Geneva: Next Steps for U.S. Policy." CVT submitted written testimony to the committee with recommendations for Congress to pass the Syrian humanitarian resolution of 2014, to increase U.S. contributions to the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, and to provide funding for mental health and psychosocial support through the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. You can download the full testimony here and learn more about our work with Syrian refugees in Jordan here. Here’s an excerpt:

As part of the broader humanitarian response, CVT also urges the U.S. government to expand its support for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programming, including by increasing access to specialized rehabilitation services for survivors of torture. While basic necessities, such as food, shelter, and medical care, cannot be ignored, MHPSS services must be a higher priority.