Donor: Kerkinactie /Churches in Action/, the Netherlands
The region of South Eastern Europe (SEE) is particularly problematic, because of the historical dependence on institutional care and stigma. Most of the countries do not have a separate national child mental health policy and the bigger part of the governmental resources is spent on sustaining the traditional system of care for children in institutions.
The problems of increasing violence, drug abuse, exposure to HIV/AIDS, juvenile delinquency and crime are related the failure of governments in SEE to integrate in their social, health and educational policies adequate measures and programs in answer to the changing situations and needs of children and adolescents.
The current state of child and adolescent mental health in the region of SEE is not adequate to meet the special needs of this very vulnerable population and the investment in promotion and prevention programs is scarce or uncoordinated.
The core target group of this project consists of the weakest in the SEE societies, having the fewest resources, namely – Albania and Moldova.
The goal of the project is to enhance the potential of Albania and Moldova to meet the mental health needs of children and adolescents with respect to problems of increasing violence, substance abuse, exposure to HIV/AIDS and juvenile delinquency.
The project’s objectives are to upgrade knowledge and organise resources in the two countries in this area; to develop new services, able to meet the needs of this very vulnerable population; to boost the capacity and enhance the potential of NGOs in the target countries to promote changes, lobby for reforms and promote inter-sectoral collaboration through learning from the foremost experience of other countries in SEE.