FOKIDA SERVICES / CENTRAL GREECE

Mobile Psychiatric Unit of the Fokida Prefecture
The aim of the Unit is covering the needs of the population of the Fokida Prefecture, by offering the following services:
1. Prevention Services
The Mobile Psychiatric Units of the Fokida Prefecture is implementing a Community Sensitisation Programme for the prevention of mental health problems. The Programme aims to educate and sensitise the local community in order to change their attitude and opinion towards mental illness, accept patients with mental illness and co-operate with the Society, in order to assist the timely and efficient therapeutic interventions for the prevention of psychopathological symptoms and conditions. Community Sensitisation is one of the most important activities of service providers working under the principles of Social – Community Psychiatry and should be ongoing and interactive. The Community Sensitisation Programmes target key persons of the local community (e.g. local government officials, the police, teachers, parents’ associations, cultural clubs etc). Adolescents, parents and special population groups teams are organised as part of the prevention services offered.

The Society also operates a number of playgroups for children as part of the prevention services offered, which also include speech therapy, the diagnosis and treatment of learning difficulties, as well as behaviour and adaptation problems. In the playgroups the children can engage themselves in creative activities, express themselves freely and develop skills such as team spirit, supportiveness and co-operation. The playgrounds provide excellent conditions for the prevention of disorders and the timely intervention, in co-operation with the schools and parents.

2. Provision of Care
These services include the timely diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, especially during acute phases, so that crises and the violent or self-destructive actions that may accompany these, can be prevented. The services also include Child Support and Care Services.
The treatment of mental illness at the patient’s environment with the aid of the family and the community is also provided. In this way the stigma and social exclusion that are associated with hospitalisation is prevented and the continuity in the care provided is ensured.
For achieving these goals, the systematic and organised presence of a team of therapists on a regular basis at the Health Care Services of the Prefecture is required (such as rural medical centres, the hospital of Amfissa etc), as well as the close co-operation with all the available Health Services, the Public Authorities and other local government services.

3. Services for the rehabilitation of chronic patients and people having completed their therapy
The rehabilitation Services include therapeutic and consultation services and the encouragement for an active social life for people with mental health problems, as well as services for the work rehabilitation and the encouragement of self – employment or work in the free market. The Services target patients of the Mobile Unit, as well as patients who have exited the local Psychiatric Hospitals or other private mental health institutions. The aim is to prevent relapses and hospitalisation.

The three sectors mentioned above, (i.e. services for the prevention of mental illness, therapy and rehabilitiation services), complement and co-operate with each other.

The Mobile Psychiatric Unit of Amfissa operates at the following areas:
• Amfissa
• Itea (Itea Medical Centre)
And at the Rural Medical Centres of the following areas:
• Delphoi – Crisso
• Galaxidi – Eratini
• Desfina
• Lidoriki
• Gravia – Polydroso – Amfiklia
• Nafpaktos

4. Crisis Intervention
During periods of crises, natural disasters or bursts of immigration, the Mobile Psychiatric Units co-operate with schools and the local authorities in order to provide mental health services to those affected.

PSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION
1. AMFISSA RESIDENTIAL HOUSE
The residential house of Amfissa began its operation in 1984 and houses 15 people. The basic aim of its operation is the creation of the necessary conditions for the psychosocial rehabilitation of patients.

The efforts of the therapists’ team are focused on aiding the members to regain skills that have been downgraded or forgotten due to their illness and their previous institutionalisation. The members follow personal and group programmes in order to help them regain their skills and be able to be smoothly integrated in the local community. In parallel, the patients are encouraged to participate in local community activities, according to their age and functionality.

2. PROTECTED APARTMENTS
Five protected apartments operate in Amfissa housing patients from the psychiatric hospitals of Leros, Corfu and Attica.

3. PRE and VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME – WORK AT THE FARM
Patients from the Mobile Psychiatric Unit cultivate the earth on a field belonging to the Society within the framework of a pre-vocational Programme that began in 1984 and has been funded originally by the O.A.E.D. organisation (Greek Manpower Employment Organisation) and subsequently the EU and the Ministry of Health. Today, patients from the hostels and the protected apartments also participate in this programme.

Apart from the theoretical and practical training on land cultivation, the aim is for the patients to work on the field, interact with the local community by selling the fruit and vegetables that they produce at the local market, so that their psychosocial rehabilitation can be achieved.

4.KOISPE (Limited Liability Social Co-operative) “Yiannis Volikas”
In Greece, under the Law 2716/1999 the Social Cooperatives of Limited Liability (SCLL) have been created, in accordance to the Lisbon Strategy with the aim of integrating socially excluded groups within the labour market, as well as modernising and developing mental health services. These co-operatives are productive and commercial units, which are overseen by the Mental Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

The idea for the creation of an SCLL at the prefecture of Fokida began to mature in 2002, based on the Law 2716/1999 which foresaw their creation, in order to achieve the aim of the social and employment rehabilitation of people with psychosocial problems. In 1987, as part of the membership of the European organisation CEFEC (Social Firms Europe), the partnership “Avgerinos” was created, which operated until 1998. The SCLL of Fokida “Yannis Volikas” began its operation in 2005 and is open to the local market. People with psychosocial problems from the local community are employed at the SCLL.

Activities that were funded include:
1. Agricultural cultivation and the production of ecological fertilizers,
2. A kiosk for selling tradition local products.