Project "Support of Family Members of People with Mental Health Problems "

The Centre for Mental Health Care Development

By implementing the project "Support of family members of people with mental health problems ", we raise awareness and strengthen competencies of family carers, support mutual meetings and sharing of experience of family carers, support the bridging of formal and informal care.

The main issue in the project is to introduce the position of peer family carers to provide support and attention to the needs of family members.

As a result of implementation the “training program”, family members got more information about mental disorders, treatment options and recovery, as well as about the system of services and the social and legal aspects of the illness.

By completing the internship program, visiting community services, job training places, mental health centers, sheltered housing, family members had a good insight into the possibilities of services for people with mental health problems.

We love the idea of "peer family carers", who support other families, give hope to the recovery through sharing their own story and experience with mental illness in their family. As this position is very new in our system, family members and care providers very appreciate meeting with colleagues from the Netherlands (Toon van Meel, Anna de Glopper, Emergis) and Norway (Camilla Johansen, Psychiatric Hospital BodÔ), who shared their experiences with the implementation of this position and the support they provide to families in their mental health care system. The conference was very inspiring and motivational for family members and care providers.

We aspire to continue in our effort and bring the idea of peer family carers to life in the system of mental health care in The Czech Republic.

Updates by: Ing. Markéta Hulmáková,

The Centre for Mental Health Care Development, 25.11.2018