The idea of the project “Establishment of information and consultation centre of mental health in the town of Bourgas is based on the project team’s experience and is related to helping the process of resolving existing problems in social recovery after mental illness and creation of a local model of social rehabilitation in the community. Another high priority task for the project was to promote mental health and to increase citizen knowledge about how to maintain emotional well-being, early diagnostics and interventions not only for people with serious mental disorders, but also for people with common mental disorders. Promotion activities are part of the rehabilitation process and affect not only the social groups who need mental health help, but the whole society, with view of reducing serious illnesses and disability resulting from mental illness.
On the territory of the town there is one psychiatric clinic with 268 beds servicing the whole Bourgas region, and in the other settlements there are no specialized clinics or dispensaries. 25 665 people, 2317 of which diagnosed with schizophrenia are registered there. The fact that only one quarter of them maintain correct medicine treatment is disturbing; and 4 % of the sample have more than one hospitalization per year. The financial deficit and function of the local psychiatric clinic do not allow the staff to carry out activities outside medical treatment and do not offer any kind of rehabilitation activities. Mental illness disrupts psychosocial functioning of an individual for a long time – it diminishes social activity, reduces interests and initiatives; there is loss of job, social environment and contacts; there are deficits of skills for daily activities; social relations are violated, the process of daily problems solution is inefficient.
The main idea of the project was to demonstrate that the social recovery of individuals with serious mental illnesses is possible to a great extent through professional help and the process of psychosocial rehabilitation.
The general objective was establishment and promotion of a model of psychosocial rehabilitation outside the hospital of people with severe psychic disorders by rendering complex services in the community. The specific objectives were: 1. To enhance the level of social integration, economic and mental well-being of people with mental disorders and their families in the town of Bourgas and the region. 2. Implementation of a functioning model of psychosocial rehabilitation – establishment of a team and ensuring professionalism in the rendering of psychosocial and rehabilitation services outside the hospital to the consumers of mental health services. 3. Promotion and prevention of mental health among young people in the region – building of a culture for its preservation. 4.Raising awareness and attracting the attention of the media and society towards the problems of people from target groups and reduction of stigmatizing attitude towards them, and autostigma as well.
Main activities: 1.Organizational and technical activity and supervision; 2.Rendering, development and integration of the following types of services: psycho – social rehabilitation - „Supervision of a Case” and „Group for Sharing and Support”; psychological consultation, medical consultation, „Group for Support of Relatives Providing Care”; 3. Instruction activity: seminars for teachers and „Sunday School of Mental Health”; 4.Information, publications and dissemination
Facilitated access to social services and diminished social isolation of the users of mental health services and their families – 301 beneficiaries. Established a functioning multidisciplinary team for rendering of psychiatric care outside the hospital and a functioning model of psychosocial rehabilitation of patients with psychic disorders. Unified complex social services, delivered to 261 clients and 40 of their relatives - developed skills and confidence for coping with habitual everyday life situations, developed skills for care and responsibility towards one’s health, increased capacity for individual coping. Early detection of the psychic disorder and adequate medical treatment with significant financial effect for the families, early recognition of psychic disorders, increased number of those having duly looked for specialized help for diagnosis and treatment – 44 beneficiaries and 93 psychiatric consultations. Improved means of exchange of information, of sharing of practical experience, adopted new techniques and strategies for addressing problems, increased self-confidence and improved social integration of the beneficiaries as a result of the group activity – 62 users and 40 of their relatives, 37 group sessions carried out. Increased level of information delivered to participants about mental health and mental illness, increased sensitivity, responsibility and skills of young people to take care of their own mental health; adopted techniques of handling stress by 58 trained people through trainings and “Sunday school of mental health”. Turning social attitudes towards people with psychic disorders positive, overcoming of stigma by project’s team participation in media activities. The social workers worked long-term on 66 cases of social rehabilitation. “Mental Health Handbook” published (500 copies) and informational brochures – 1000. Two press conferences were organized.
Contact information
Krasimira Mineva
z. k. “Lazur”, bl. 20, entr. 4, fl. 4, p.o.box 4,
Bourgas 8000, Bulgaria
Cell Phone: ++359 887 207 033
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