Description
In 2011 Lithuania had 36 residential social care institutions for people with mental disability housing 6061 person, of which over 50 per cent had psychiatric disorders. Depersonalization, rigid procedures, group care and social distance are characteristic to the long researched institutional culture which results in inevitable violations of human rights and complete loss of independence of the in-patients. Project aims to increase involvement of NGOs in policy and decision-making processes related to protection of human rights, with focus on transition from residential to community care. Active advocacy on improvement of rights protection of psychiatric in-patients, including advocacy campaign on Patient‘s Trustee and legislative/policy recommendations for the executive government on local and national level on establishment of independent living homes shall tangibly contribute to promotion of human rights in closed (psychiatric) institutions and improvement of rights protection of mentally disabled. Beneficiaries: people with mental disability (psychiatric disorders), their families, patients’ trustees.
Summary of project results
Large residential institutions accommodating persons with various disabilities, including mental disabilities, are still very common in Lithuania. Such units exercise “institutional culture” with features like human anonymity, control, group care, social distance. In 2005 community GIEDRA implemented a pilot project and founded an independent living home for persons with mental disorders. This social service model was found to be effective – it enabled persons to take care of themselves, thus making this model a good alternative to large social care residential institution. In addition to that, independent living homes allowed securing basic human rights of persons with mental disorders – as this was not possible in the large social care residential institutions. Based on this experience GIEDRA has developed a project to initiate wider spread of this model in Lithuania and to promote implementation of human rights in such establishments as well as psychiatric hospitals. Key elements of this project were a) an advocacy campaign on establishment of independent living homes, b) preparation of policy recommendations on development of independent living homes in Lithuania (addressed to Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour and other relevant state authorities), c) targeted advocacy efforts for introduction of a specific social service – the representative of patient at psychiatric hospitals – and improvement of representation process of patients with mental disorders. GIEDRA has organized events in which administration staff of social care institutions received theoretical and practical knowledge. Analysis of national law and best foreign practices were introduced, different models of independent living homes were discussed. Community-based services were also analysed as an alternative to living in large institutions, project promoter presented its own good practice and advised officers of the institutions on transition issues. GIEDRA has recruited 4 patient representatives to test operation in various psychiatric hospitals in Lithuania. Patient representatives provided 878 consultation services to 765 individuals throughout the project. This proved the need and benefits of such services, therefore GIEDRA has engaged in advocacy activities with municipal authorities and hospitals to receive some funding for this position and approve its development for the upcoming years as a mean of securing human rights of patients with mental disorders.
Summary of bilateral results