Description
The current situation in psychotherapeutic and psychosocial services for mentally ill people and people at risk of social exclusion is characterized by a lack of the necessary capacity to offer comprehensive care for this specific group. The overall objective of the project is an extension of services provided by the Czech Society for Mental Health (ČSDZ) for such new activities, which will contribute to improving the quality and comprehensiveness of the services provided so far. The aim of the project is that the services provided by ČSDZ correspond to conventional standards of similar facilities in Europe. The implementation of this project will create a community low-treshold center with a comprehensive program for clients with mental illness under one roof in keeping with the strategy of transformation of psychiatric care in the Czech republic. The target group of the project are people with mental illness people and long term or temporary diagnosis. The project will involve two Norwegian partners - Rådet for Psykisk Helse (Council for Mental Health) and Mental Helse Ungdom (The Norwegian Association of Mental Health of Youth). The role of the partners is to help with realization of key activities and to share their experiences.
Summary of project results
The goal of the project was to support and enable clients suffering from mental disorders to get back to normal civilian life with special emphasis on having their mental condition stabilized as fast as possible, minimizing the consequences of their mental disorder through extensive rehabilitation and retention of stabilized mental condition. Also, additional activity – Extended community-based care for clients disadvantaged by mental disorders through field-work support and higher awareness – was performed within this project. The following activities were performed within the project: - Ergo-therapeutic workshop for job rehabilitation purposes and as a stepping stone to returning back to work, - Practical activities for those applying for a new job, e.g. computer basics and office work skills training, sheltered jobs, etc., - A group of parents (clients) suffering from mental disorders and their children includes preventive monitoring of children who are a threatened population in many respects, including the risk of development of a mental disorder, - The For Good Health programme includes activities mental hygiene and stress management, healthy life style and nutrition courses, including fitness exercises and meeting with peer trainers, - Communication with members of public – public lectures, open-house days for public with presentations of our activities and PR activities, including promotion of our facilities and services rendered, - Investment in equipment and devices necessary to make all our activities possible - Extension of ČSDZ’s professional services by field-work support, - Extended and more efficient ČSDZ’s PR activities. Outputs of activities: Establishment of a low-threshold centre providing comprehensive health care and social services, a place of trust, an environment nurturing transition from illness to reality that, mainly in the beginning of the whole process, is extremely challenging for people suffering from mental disorders who, with each failure, lose motivation to return to everyday life, is considered to be the key output of the project. New promotion materials and ČSDZ’s web site were created and the project was covered by several newspaper and magazine articles. All equipment and devices necessary to perform the activities outlined in the application were purchased. In addition to that, the cooperation with our Norwegian partners continued, including their visit in our centre and participation in our workshop.
Summary of bilateral results
The initial stage of the project witnessed extensive communication with the Norwegian partners – they became an invaluable source of information, practical experience and mutual inspiration. Even further stages of the project implementation were characterized by frequent communication and consultations with the Norwegian partners - Kristian Haugland from Mental Helse Ungdom and Arne Orum from Radet for Psykisk Helse. Kristian Haugland came to Prague and stayed from 1st to 4th October 2015. There were several meetings and a workshop lead by Mr. Haugland took place in the ČSDZ’s premises. His Report from the 4-Day Visit, including recommendations for our organization regarding how to further involve our clients and attract new sponsors, is one of the outputs of his visit. Additionally, 2 ČSDZ’s staff members went for a business trip to Oslo, Norway, stayed there from 23rd to 28th October 2015, visited both our partners and did an internship at District Psychiatrisk Centre. Information and experience from this visit were extremely valuable for identifying the future direction of ČSDZ in their care for clients with mental disorders. On 26th September 2016, there was a workshop in ČSDZ with our Norwegian partners, attended by Arne Orum, Anne Kristine Bergem from Radet for Psykisk Helse, Michaela Zahrádka Kohlerová from the cooperating Bohnice Hospital and Pavel Pavlovský, ČSDZ Prague, Kateřina Gláslová, coordinator from ČSDZ Prague and other participants. Generally, the partnership significantly contributed to meeting the goals of the sub-project. We plan to extend our cooperation with the Norwegian partners beyond the currently implemented project. Prevention in children of parents suffering from mental disorders seems to be a considerably interesting topic.