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Rehabilitation and Social Intergarion of People with Chronic Psychiatric Problems
Center for Psychic Health "Chovekoljubie"
Background
The social isolation and the limited opportunities for work are accompanying the life of the people with psychiatric problems and are condemning them to social disability. The system for psychiatric health services ensured by the Ministry of Healthcare in the Pazardjik Region, does not include care for rehabilitation and social integration of people with chronic psychiatric problems. The Chovekoljubie Association has been working for 7 years for the rehabilitation and development of the social abilities and for decreasing the social isolation of people with psychiatric problems. In 1999 the association received a building from the Municipality of Pazardjik, and in 2000 with the financial assistance of the Cooperating Netherlands Foundations and the Regional Initiatives Fund at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, started the building and repair works for reconstructing a cultural heritage house. For the following 10 years Dr. Long s House in Pazardjik would be transformed into a Center for Mental Health. The building and repair works were completed and the opening of the center is pending.
The social isolation and the limited opportunities for work are accompanying the life of the people with psychiatric problems and are condemning them to social disability. The system for psychiatric health services ensured by the Ministry of Healthcare in the Pazardjik Region, does not include care for rehabilitation and social integration of people with chronic psychiatric problems. The Chovekoljubie Association has been working for 7 years for the rehabilitation and development of the social abilities and for decreasing the social isolation of people with psychiatric problems. In 1999 the association received a building from the Municipality of Pazardjik, and in 2000 with the financial assistance of the Cooperating Netherlands Foundations and the Regional Initiatives Fund at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, started the building and repair works for reconstructing a cultural heritage house. For the following 10 years Dr. Long s House in Pazardjik would be transformed into a Center for Mental Health. The building and repair works were completed and the opening of the center is pending.
Practice
The Center for Mental Health in Pazardjik will perform the following activities:
1. Social club a place for whole-day meetings, contacts, mutual friends assistance and rest. The members of the club will take part in several individual or group activities adjusted to their needs and abilities various games, a video club, a group for mutual aid, love class , etc.
2. Training of basic social abilities education program comprising 7 modules prepared in the California University and adapted by the Bulgarian Human Relations Institute.
3. Telephone crisis line the purpose is to assure help, information and assistance for people with psychic problems and for their families, when they do not have the possibility to visit the Day Center.
4. Library with over 500 volumes of psychic and psychiatric literature scientific and popular, available for members of the Association and for the center s clients, as well as for the citizens of the Municipality of Pazardjik.
5. Club Delicious the program is aiming at rehabilitating the abilities of people with chronic psychiatric problems to cope with life. The Center s clients should go shopping, cook and eat together the dishes prepared by them.
6. Service for psychological consulting a team of a psychologist, a psychiatrist, and a social worker would conduct individual work on psychological and social problems.
7. Atelier 99 should offer possibilities for work activity making of souvenirs and different articles.
The work of the Chovekoljubie Association under the project has continued for three years already. During this time, members of the association people with psychiatric diagnoses and their relatives - have accumulated experience in working with local government, business and the media. 40% of the members of the team working at the Center are people with psychiatric problems. All of them have successfully passed the necessary qualification courses, organized by the Labor Bureau, and have taken part in training courses for fundraising, management skills, handling crisis situations and strategy planning, financed by the Women Alliance for Development and Hamlet Trust.
The volunteer work of the Association members, with which they took part in the construction and repair work of the building, has contributed to their social integration and work rehabilitation.
The Center for Mental Health in Pazardjik will perform the following activities:
1. Social club a place for whole-day meetings, contacts, mutual friends assistance and rest. The members of the club will take part in several individual or group activities adjusted to their needs and abilities various games, a video club, a group for mutual aid, love class , etc.
2. Training of basic social abilities education program comprising 7 modules prepared in the California University and adapted by the Bulgarian Human Relations Institute.
3. Telephone crisis line the purpose is to assure help, information and assistance for people with psychic problems and for their families, when they do not have the possibility to visit the Day Center.
4. Library with over 500 volumes of psychic and psychiatric literature scientific and popular, available for members of the Association and for the center s clients, as well as for the citizens of the Municipality of Pazardjik.
5. Club Delicious the program is aiming at rehabilitating the abilities of people with chronic psychiatric problems to cope with life. The Center s clients should go shopping, cook and eat together the dishes prepared by them.
6. Service for psychological consulting a team of a psychologist, a psychiatrist, and a social worker would conduct individual work on psychological and social problems.
7. Atelier 99 should offer possibilities for work activity making of souvenirs and different articles.
The work of the Chovekoljubie Association under the project has continued for three years already. During this time, members of the association people with psychiatric diagnoses and their relatives - have accumulated experience in working with local government, business and the media. 40% of the members of the team working at the Center are people with psychiatric problems. All of them have successfully passed the necessary qualification courses, organized by the Labor Bureau, and have taken part in training courses for fundraising, management skills, handling crisis situations and strategy planning, financed by the Women Alliance for Development and Hamlet Trust.
The volunteer work of the Association members, with which they took part in the construction and repair work of the building, has contributed to their social integration and work rehabilitation.
Results
The establishment of the Center for Mental Health Chovekoljubie has brought to changes in the status of the Association members in the local community from people able to take care of themselves, they turned into people open to other people s problems. There is now a feeling of ownership, of having their own place in the town, and having influence on events. The meetings with representatives of the organizations from The Netherlands and the USA, financing the program, has given them the self-confidence of people deserving care and respect.
The implementation of the project has led to the improvement of the quality of life of other people with chronic psychiatric problems in the Municipality of Pazardjik as well. The existing opportunities of the Association for Social Rehabilitation and Integration have widened new forms of communication, training for social abilities, program for entertainment and rest have emerged.
With the Program for temporary employment of the Pazardjik Labor Bureau, opportunities were created for employing 11 people with psychic problems people with psychiatric diagnoses, alcohol dependency, physical disability, long term unemployment or in extremely poverty. By hiring physically disabled people and young specialists, the Association will acquire financial preferences from the state budget.
The establishment of the Center for Mental Health Chovekoljubie has brought to changes in the status of the Association members in the local community from people able to take care of themselves, they turned into people open to other people s problems. There is now a feeling of ownership, of having their own place in the town, and having influence on events. The meetings with representatives of the organizations from The Netherlands and the USA, financing the program, has given them the self-confidence of people deserving care and respect.
The implementation of the project has led to the improvement of the quality of life of other people with chronic psychiatric problems in the Municipality of Pazardjik as well. The existing opportunities of the Association for Social Rehabilitation and Integration have widened new forms of communication, training for social abilities, program for entertainment and rest have emerged.
With the Program for temporary employment of the Pazardjik Labor Bureau, opportunities were created for employing 11 people with psychic problems people with psychiatric diagnoses, alcohol dependency, physical disability, long term unemployment or in extremely poverty. By hiring physically disabled people and young specialists, the Association will acquire financial preferences from the state budget.
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