VILLA – creation of a community-based sheltered housing for psychiatric patients in the Usti Region

Project facts

Project promoter:
Fokus Labe
Project Number:
CZ11-0082
Target groups
People with mental health problems
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€148,151
Final project cost:
€141,044
From Norway Grants:
€ 126,940
The project is carried out in:
Ústecký kraj

More information

Description

With the transformation of psychiatric care in the Czech Republic there is increased need for family-type accommodation in the communities where patients live. Demand for these services in Fokus Elbe has increased significantly over the past two years. The main objective of the project in the area of deinstitutionalization is to reinforce the capacity of community-based services for psychiatric patients in the Usti Region and in that way create an area for their smooth transition from patient care into ambulatory care, which would assure long-term and sustainable return of psychiatric patients into civil life. The aim is to create a community-based type of service, sheltered housing, situated in a 2-storey villa with a family environment, designed for psychiatric patients in Usti Region. The target group of the project is elderly people with mental illness.

Summary of project results

The aim of the project was to extend the capacity of community type sheltered housing provided by the organization, to develop a housing team consisting of well-trained and well-prepared social workers, to select suitable psychiatric patients and place the selected patients into the sheltered housing programme, to ensure the proper functioning of sheltered housing rehabilitation programme, to establish a community club “Bejvak” and to create information materials to promote the project. All of the above mentioned aims were fulfilled. Among the main outcomes of the project are minor construction adjustments of the building used for community sheltered housing with a capacity of 6 beds; establishing of a housing team made of 2 social workers, selection of psychiatric patients from psychiatric hospitals in Usti nad Labem region and trial stays of patients in sheltered house, gradual placement of patients in sheltered housing, providing day-to-day rehabilitation activities and services in sheltered housing, creation and awareness raising by creating and distributing the information materials on the community sheltered housing service and establishing and managing of the community club “Bejvak” for the wide patient population. Throughout the project, the target group was involved in all activities. After the “Bejvak” club was established, clients used this club once a week in the afternoon. Within the additionally supported activity of the project, 3 new places in separate housing units (apartments) were created by renting and furnishing of 3 apartments owned by the municipality. These three units represent a follow-up service for community-based housing and a further level of psychiatric rehabilitation where patients are placed after two years of sheltered community housing.

Summary of bilateral results