International Transformational Resilience Coalition (ITRC) is a left-of-center organization comprised of mental health professionals and social workers that promotes an apocalyptic view of the results of climate change and promotes government action to deal with the mental health needs created by serious weather events that will lead to the mass disruption of human life on Earth. ¹

In addition to organizing conferences and online seminars, which have included government emergency planning officials, ITRC has come out in support of federal legislation that would providing grant funding to community organizations that promote mental health services. ^{2 3}

Founding and History

International Transformational Resilience Coalition held its first conference in 2016. ²

The organization shared a post office box with the Resource Innovation Group (TRIG), which is now defunct. TRIG was involved in running the first ITRC conference in 2016. The TRIG website states that it is a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Center for Sustainable Communities at Willamette University. The TRIG website also states that it is no longer valid and directs users to the ITRC website. ⁴

Philosophy

International Transformational Resilience Coalition promotes the idea that little can be done by humans to stop what it characterizes as catastrophic and potentially irreversible climate change that will wreak devastation and destruction on the global population which will lead to trauma and mental and physical health issues internationally. The organization states that while it supports attempts to cut carbon emissions, it believes it is necessary to prepare to deal with mass global trauma stemming from climate-induced disasters. ¹

ITRC also has a statement on its website supporting Black Lives Matter and calling on “white people” to reflect how their innate bias and racism harms everyone. ¹

Policies and Projects

Conferences

International Transformational Resilience Coalition has hosted several conferences on the theme of developing psychological resilience among the general population amidst what it terms the “long climate crisis.” Sessions at these conferences have included psychologists; members of think tanks, such as the RAND Corporation; and government officials involved in disaster preparedness. Beginning in 2019, ITRC began hosting webinars rather than in person conferences. ^{5 2}

Support for Legislation

ITRC supports the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act, which at the time of writing is House Bill HR 3073 and Senate Bill SB 1425. According to ITRC’s summary of the legislation, it will provide federal funding for a nationwide public health approach to mental health issues by issuing grants to community organizations. ³

Leadership

International Transformational Resilience Coalition does not list staff on its website, but it does have a list of steering committee members. ⁶ An article published by Psychiatric News lists author Bob Doppelt as being the coordinator for ITRC. ⁷

1.  “About ITRC – International Transformational Resilience Coalition.” Itrcoalition.org. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://itrcoalition.org/about/.
2. “TRIG – Intl. Conf: Building Human Resilience to Climate Change.” Resource Innovation Group. Accessed June 26, 2023. http://www.theresourceinnovationgroup.org/building-human-resilience.
3. “About the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023.” Itrcoalition.org. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://itrcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2023/04/About-the-Community-Mental-Wellness-and-Resilience-Act-of-2023.pdf.
4. “TRIG – Home.” Resource Innovation Group. Accessed June 26, 2023. http://www.theresourceinnovationgroup.org/.
5. ^[1] “Conference & Workshop Slides – International Transformational Resilience Coalition.” Itrcoalition.org. Accessed June 26, 2023. https://itrcoalition.org/conference-workshop-slides/.
6. ITRC-National-Steering-Committee-1-23-2023.” Itrcoalition.org, January 23, 2023. https://itrcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2023/01/ITRC-National-Steering-Committee-1-23-2023.pdf.
7. Doppelt, Bob, and David Pollack. “Bipartisan Bill Offers Public Health Approach to Build Mental Wellness and Resilience.” Psychiatric News. American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., January 4, 2023. https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2023.02.2.23.