The International Society for Mental Health Services (ISMH), a legal entity of private law, is a non-profit making organization which was founded in 2001 and undertakes to fulfill the task of establishing and running programmes aimed at the deinstitutionalization and social rehabilitation of people with psychiatric disorders and severe psychosocial problems. The above falls within the wider programme of psychiatric reform.
Beyond the development of community psychiatric units, the ISMH aims at contributing to public welfare through the following actions:
– By enhancing and supporting scientific areas and actions which aim at prevention and therapy.
– By closely cooperating with private and public sectors in order to facilitate and fulfill the needs of public mental health, contributing towards informing-educating, as well as towards vocational and general social rehabilitation of those people with special psychosocial needs.
– By giving specialized training to mental health professionals, and to all those interested in social and community psychiatry.- By developing research programmes as well as programmes for postgraduate psychiatric training.- By cooperating and working together with other relative programmes and bodies in the EU and other international bodies.- By organizing conferences, local meetings, and different seminars with topics related to the aims of the ISMH.
ACTIONS
The development of deinstitutionalization and social rehabilitation units were the first step in promoting and applying the aims of the Society. More specifically, in 2003 three hostels started functioning They were. “Pigi” in Kirgia outside of the town of Drama, “Epoxi”” in Pendaplatanos close to the town of Giannitsa and “Irmos” in the village of Drimos outside of the city of Thessaloniki. In April 2005 the day centre “Poria” opened its doors in the town of Giannitsa. The programme was co-funded, for the first 18 months, by the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MHSW) and the European Social Fund (ESF) at 25% and 75% respectively, whereas after the laps of the aforementioned time, it has been financed by the Greek state.
During the years of its existence the ISMH has moved forward by promoting, contributing and applying its charter by organizing seminars, by training health professionals, by co-operating and working with state and private bodies and by emphasizing the importance of psychiatric reform.
The European Social Fund contributes towards vocational opportunities by supporting business enterprises, facilitating the adaptation of these people and promoting equal opportunities as well as investing in human resources.
More information about the corporate programme “Health-Social Welfare 2000-2006” can be obtained from:
Administrative Authority of the Corporate Programme “Health-Welfare 2000-2006”, 1A Patision and Gladstone St., Postcode 10677, Athens, Greece.