PANHELLENIC FEDERATION OF FAMILIES FOR MENTAL HEALTHAddress: Eleftheriou Venizelou 236 – 163 41 Ilioupolis
Tel-Fax: 210 994 8098
World Congress of Mental Health
Athens 2-6 September 2009 (organized by World Federation of Mental Health)
Session - Associations of Families - patients
Athens 2-6 September 2009 (organized by World Federation of Mental Health)
Session - Associations of Families - patients
The role of the families and patients in psychosocial rehabilitation and effective psychiatric reform – the development of the movement in Greece.
“Panhellenic Federation of Families for Mental Health”
Niki-Eleni Nomidou – President
Dr. Alexandra Stroumbou – Vice-President
The family at the centre of caring: From silence to information and action
In 2003 the Associations of Families for Mental Health in Greece founded the “Panhellenic Federation of Families for Mental Health” with the aim of breaking the silence and allowing the voices of the families to be heard more dynamically and more collectively. Today the Federation has 8 associations of families as regular members and a further three as assistant members.
Since 1993 when the first Association was founded in Vyron, Athens, both the Associations and the Federation have developed significant activities in the field of information, in sensitizing specialists and public opinion through day-long sessions in Athens and many other cities throughout the country, theatrical performances, concerts, interviews in the press, television, radio, as well as by publishing journals and information leaflets.
The focus of the Associations’ activities is to strengthen the family through the psycho-educational programmes for families and patients, in which particular emphasis is given to the active participation of the family in the process of recovery from mental illness. In our opinion all of this activity has improved perceptions of mental illness and up to a point has reduced prejudice. We believe that the active participation and the direct contact with the common members of the family and patients contribute effectively to reducing ignorance and stigma.
The federation collaborates with almost all of the organisations for mental health in the country and representatives as a rule participate as speakers in their day-long sessions and conferences, as well as with Gamian and Eufami. The Federation is a member of the “National Federation of People with Handicaps” and a representative participates in the General Council and through this furthering various institutional demands which concern handicapped persons generally, including those with mental handicaps.
Our attempts will continue to focus on campaigning for the necessary actions on the part of the state to design and put into practice a “National Plan of Action” which will fulfill the needs of the families and patients through a network of services in the community which will be close to their needs.
Niki-Eleni Nomidou – President
Dr. Alexandra Stroumbou – Vice-President
The family at the centre of caring: From silence to information and action
In 2003 the Associations of Families for Mental Health in Greece founded the “Panhellenic Federation of Families for Mental Health” with the aim of breaking the silence and allowing the voices of the families to be heard more dynamically and more collectively. Today the Federation has 8 associations of families as regular members and a further three as assistant members.
Since 1993 when the first Association was founded in Vyron, Athens, both the Associations and the Federation have developed significant activities in the field of information, in sensitizing specialists and public opinion through day-long sessions in Athens and many other cities throughout the country, theatrical performances, concerts, interviews in the press, television, radio, as well as by publishing journals and information leaflets.
The focus of the Associations’ activities is to strengthen the family through the psycho-educational programmes for families and patients, in which particular emphasis is given to the active participation of the family in the process of recovery from mental illness. In our opinion all of this activity has improved perceptions of mental illness and up to a point has reduced prejudice. We believe that the active participation and the direct contact with the common members of the family and patients contribute effectively to reducing ignorance and stigma.
The federation collaborates with almost all of the organisations for mental health in the country and representatives as a rule participate as speakers in their day-long sessions and conferences, as well as with Gamian and Eufami. The Federation is a member of the “National Federation of People with Handicaps” and a representative participates in the General Council and through this furthering various institutional demands which concern handicapped persons generally, including those with mental handicaps.
Our attempts will continue to focus on campaigning for the necessary actions on the part of the state to design and put into practice a “National Plan of Action” which will fulfill the needs of the families and patients through a network of services in the community which will be close to their needs.
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