(status end of 2007)

Background

According to the WHO statistics dated 1999 – 2000, a rapid growth in the number of persons suffering from mental illnesses is taking place. The mental illnesses are on the 4th place in the world and considering the depression in particular, it is on the 3rd place after the cardio-vascular diseases and malignant tumours.

Under the circumstances of poverty, unemployment, permanent increase in prices in Moldova persons with diverse mental problems have become "useless objects" for the society who receive no support whatsoever neither from the state nor from the private sector.

SDC is financing a project of the establishment a community mental health service which is based on concrete needs and can prevent hospitalization of people with mental disorders and neurotic sufferings and would contribute to the liberalization of the Mental Health services and to the reduction of the stigmatization phenomenon in the society.

Among other project activities a Community Mental Health Center will be created in Ungheni rayon where the mental state of the population can be characterized as being affected by several severe and complex factors including: unemployment, poverty, migration and economic disadvantages.

Overall Goal

Improve the quality of life of the mentally disabled persons through development and implementation of psycho-social rehabilitation programmes and through creation of a community-based alternative Mental Health centre in the rayon of Ungheni.

Objectives

1. Knowledge upgrade in management and psycho-social rehabilitation of persons with MH problems, as well as in monitoring of MH indicators at territorial level through performance of a needs and MH services assessment in the raion of Ungheni;
2. Establishment of a model raional community-based MH centre (CMHC) in the pilot region to improve the management of the mentally disabled patients on the basis of the needs in Ungheni;
3. Improvement of knowledge level in MH through development of a university curriculum of MH promotion/prevention and psycho-social rehabilitation of the psychic diseases for the health care professionals, family doctors, social assistants, psychologists, relatives and beneficiaries.

Approach / Implementation

Conventionally, the strategy of intervention could be divided into several directions of project activities:

• Permanent political dialogue with the MoH with a goal to create a network of CMHCs throughout the country in the future and partnership with the Moldovan State Medical and Pharmaceutical University "N.Testemiţanu" from Chisinau, Pedagogical State University "A.Russo" from Balti;
• MH services research in the rayon of Ungheni;
• Elaboration of the university and post-graduate curriculum for the medicine, psychology and social assistance faculties;
• Elaboration of criteria and standards as well as of normative acts of national level;
• Training activities for the interdisciplinary group and staff;
• Renovation and equipping of the community-based centre in the pilot region (Ungheni).

Results

• The MH indicators are elaborated and implemented in the pilot region;
• A community-based needs assessment is performed;
• Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the existent MH services in the rayon of Ungheni is performed;
• Community assistance guidelines for professionals,family doctors,relatives and beneficiaries on the most frequently encountered MH conditions and psychiatric illnesses are elaborated;
• Standards and criteria for the community MH services are elaborated;
• University and post-graduate curriculum in community mental health for mental health professionals, primary health care, and social assistants is elaborated, edited and proposed for implementation;
• Training activities in modern issues of MH for 56 family doctors and 15 future personnel of the community centre in Ungheni;
• A model community MH centre (CMHC) is created and functioning in the rayon of Ungheni.

Financial Aspect

The project budget for 2005–2007 amounts CHF 275’000

Contact

NGO ”Somato”
Contact person: Jana Chihai, president
Sevcenco str, 23 A
Balti, Moldova
Tel/ Fax + 373 231 35089
E-mail: jchihai@somato.md