Launch of a three-year project on mental health
A new three-year initiative on improvement of mental health has kicked-off on April 16 in Yerevan.
The main objective of the EU funded “Rights, Services, Participation: Fostering a Comprehensive Mental Health Framework in Armenia” project is to support the development of a legal framework necessary for provision of accessible and inclusive mental health services, the introduction of mechanisms and the change of public perceptions about mental health.
The EUR 2 million project is implemented by the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, Democracy Development Foundation, “Disability Rights Agenda” NGO and the Armenian Mental Health Association.
H.E. Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of Armenia, H.E. Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, Head of EU Delegation in Armenia, representatives of civil society organizations and professional mental health associations, people with psychosocial and mental health disabilities and members of their families and media attended the project launch event.
“EU supports mental health in Armenia as an important element for country’s resilience. Mental health is a human right; our approach is based on the understanding that mental health is about more than just health and, strongly involves areas such as education, social services, digitalization, employment, environment, and climate. We are happy to see strong ownership by Ministries of Health, Education and Social Affairs and commitment to jointly advance mental health agenda in Armenia’’, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos emphasized in his welcome remarks.
Following the pandemic and the 44-day war the importance of programs addressing mental health problems is more accentuated in Armenia. Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of Armenia spoke about joint efforts to maintain mental health of compatriots forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh implemented through visits of mobile teams in collaboration with international partners.
“I am delighted that the studies and activities planned under the project will complement our efforts targeting rights-based approach and development of policy and mechanisms for affordable, inclusive and evidence-based mental health services and positive public attitude to mental health issues,” noted Anahit Avanesyan. The minister presented policy implemented in mental health field, including development of guides and operational procedures, improvements encompassing areas from staffing to simple material conditions.
Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, underlined the importance of efforts enhancing the awareness about mental health at the level of international partners and interagency cooperation and presented the education sector reforms in this area. “Multidimensional discussions of this issue demonstrate that it is at the core of everyone’s attention. The education system must become an environment favorable to enunciate and formulate mental health issues, provide professional support and services. Since September we added the office of school psychologist thus bringing professional resources into the school. We will continuously support psychologists providing them with resources to feel, identify and raise in educational environment mental health problems, which might be fateful for our children. The educational system is the environment where we have to teach to talk about the problems and find adequate ways of dealing with this phenomenon working with specialists,” – said the minister emphasizing the role of territorial pedagogical-psychological support centers and the Republican pedagogical-psychological center.
Narek Mkrtchyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, in his speech talked about services provided to people with mental health problems by the State. The minister referred to deinstitutionalization process and stressed the importance of independent living centers and small group homes in this context, particularly in the process of social inclusion of people with mental health problems. “Relentless and continuous work is being done to properly organize care for and social inclusion of people with mental health problems, to develop their capacities and skills. At the same time, the government makes efforts to transform care services and provide for independent living as well as to expand community home services and establish new community homes,” stated Narek Mkrtchyan.
The minister also highlighted the importance of developing rights-based policies for and providing needs-based services to people with mental health problems emphasizing the role of close and efficient cooperation between various entities active in this field.
The event then had a panel discussion where several issues related to advocating the rights of people with mental health problems were discussed.