What is meant by "mental disorder"?

 A mental disorder should be defined in accordance with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Problems - ICD-10 and the Act of 19 August 1994 on Mental Health Protection (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 685).

 

According to the above According to the Act, the concept of a person with mental disorders refers to a person:

 

a) mentally ill (showing psychotic disorders),

 

b) mentally retarded,

 

c) showing other disturbances of mental activities which, according to the state of medical knowledge, are classified as mental disorders, and the person requires health services or other forms of assistance and care necessary to live in a family or social environment.

 

What is the program: "From dependence to independence"?

 

On December 28, 2022, it was announced that the Minister of Family and Social Policy Marlena Maląg signed a support program for people with mental disorders and their families: "From dependence to independence". The budget of the program for 2023 has been set at PLN 3 million. As emphasized by Minister Marlena Maląg:

 

“It is very important for a person with mental disorders to be a partner of institutions and organizations that work for people in need of support. It is therefore important to strengthen and expand the offers of the social support network in terms of improving the life and social situation of people with mental disorders, as well as their families and carers”.

 

Who can apply for funding?

 

As part of the programme, an open tender is announced. The following may apply for funding :

 

1) local government units which perform tasks resulting from the Social Welfare Act by organizing social support in the area of ​​their operation for people who, due to their mental disorders, have difficulties in everyday life.

 

2) non-governmental organizations , associations of local government units, social cooperatives, joint-stock companies and limited liability companies, and sports clubs, i.e. the entities referred to in Art. 25 sec. 1 of the Act on social assistance, which may participate in open competitions for co-financing programs and projects resulting from local strategies for solving social problems.

 

Entities will receive a subsidy in a fixed amount, but they will also have to have their own contribution, under which a personal contribution may be partially qualified.

 

What can the grant be used for ?

 

The funds constituting the amount of the co-financing must be used by 31 December 2023 and may be used by:

 

1) purchase of basic materials, tools or technical equipment (in the accounting classification it cannot be a fixed asset) and the purchase of items and resources necessary to organize local activities for people with mental disorders;

 

2) costs of servicing a public task, including administrative costs (service costs related to the performance of administrative, supervisory and control activities, including financial and legal services for the project), where financing of this category of costs from the subsidy may not be higher than a certain percentage grant amount.

 

What is the purpose of the program?

 

The main objective of the program is to improve the health, social and institutional living and living conditions in terms of the day-to-day functioning of a person with mental disorders in socio-economic life. Often these people are socially excluded and society fears them. The government notes that such people need to be helped, according to the data presented: 1.5 million (0.3%) people had schizophrenia spectrum disorders (especially in the pandemic). Severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, affected nearly 5 million people (1% of the population). Studies show that anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and bipolar disorders are more common among women than among men.For several years there has been talk not only about the epidemic of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, but also about the epidemic of depression. How to fight it? Below is a description of the assistance program.

 

How to help people with mental disorders?

 

The program is based on three main pillars, i.e. self-help, family support and integration. These three pillars are developed within the individual modules.

 

Module I – Support for families of people with mental disorders.

1. Development of effective, innovative forms and methods of community support for families of people with mental disorders.

 

2. Enabling the families of people with mental disorders to use services supporting their temporary replacement in caring functions.

 

3. Training, courses and workshops for families of people with mental disorders, aimed at acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills in dealing with the disease and its symptoms in everyday life.

 

4. Initiating and supporting self-help groups for families of people with mental disorders.

 

Module II - Self-help

 

1. Educating and motivating mentally ill people and people with intellectual disabilities and their families in pursuit of independence.

 

2. Supporting the organization of mentally ill people and people with intellectual disabilities as well as their families, e.g. in the form of support groups - aimed at providing mutual assistance in overcoming barriers, in meeting material and living needs, but also in overcoming the difficulties they encounter in social functioning.

 

3. Exchange of experiences and information about the importance of self-help of mentally ill people and people with intellectual disabilities and their families in creating opportunities to develop competences necessary for their social functioning.

 

Module III – Enabling people with mental disorders to acquire competences necessary for independent living

1. Strengthening motivation towards the development of interests and skills that will positively affect the self-esteem of participants and will lead to their independence.

 

2. Training, workshops, courses tailored to the needs of people with mental disorders.

 

3. Meetings with specialists (professional advisor, lawyer, trainer - development coach, etc.).

 

4. Motivating people with mental disorders to participate in various forms of sports and physical activity.

 

5. Organizing meetings aimed at understanding one's own situation and improving contact with the environment.

 

Module IV - Integration and innovation

 

1. Strengthening a positive attitude and raising social awareness about mental disorders in order to promote attitudes of understanding, acceptance and tolerance for people with mental disorders.

 

2. Development of new forms and methods of community support for people with mental disorders.

 

3. Integrating people with mental disorders and their families with the local community by promoting good practices and innovative activities in the field of assistance, including services provided to people with mental disorders by organizational units of social welfare services and other entities, and creating a network of optimal support offers.

 

Each model of the program is designed to raise the awareness of people with mental disorders about their opportunities and their rights, which is expected to increase their confidence and empowerment, as well as help them to better use potential opportunities.