CAFS was chosen from 100s of other global organizations by EMBER Foundation (UK) in 2020 as one of the community-based mental health initiatives from around the globe that they mentor and fund over a period of 12-24 months.
Throughout the year we worked together with team EMBER to build organizational capacity and sustainability.
Our partnership together also resulted in CAFS being recognised on an international platform.
https://embermentalhealth.org/ourCohorts/children-adolescent-and-family-services-cafs
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/83e7df8a-c0b5-4763-8a56-738a741049f9/sparks-of-care
https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1574892058
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for mental health support was on the rise. CAFS worked in collaboration with several psychologists in Sri Lanka to initiate COPE; a platform to provide free online counselling and useful resources for those dealing with mental stressors directly linked to the current pandemic.
For more information visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CopeSriLanka
The clinical research team at CAFS is working in partnership with the pediatric neurology unit at Lady Ridgeway Hospital to provide psychosocial support to children and their families visiting the unit as well as conducting neuropsychological evaluations to provide further support in their care.
CAFS is currently working together with Professor Piyadasa Kodituwakku (Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics and Neurosciences, University of New Mexico) in developing a culturally grounded neuropsychological test battery that can be used to provide better support to children in Sri Lanka with neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. We see this as a significant need as currently no such culturally validated neuropsychological test battery is available in the country.