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MHR Lithuania 2011 Mental HealthReforms Special issue: > MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IN LITHUANIA ‘ Nos. 111-2 A Global Initiative on Psychiatry publication 252 MHR nr 1 2011_A4.indd 1 25-10-2011 14:43:22 Contents Editor Editorial 3 Ellen Mercer By John Bowis and Robert van Voren Editorial Board GIP-Vilnius Celebrates World 4 Arunas Germanavicius Mental Health Day 2011 Dovile Juodkaite Robertas Povilaitis Dainius Puras Evidence-Based 5 Robert van Voren Mental Health Policy in Lithuania By Dainius Puras Graphic Design/ Printing www.bade.nl Vilnius’s Mental Health Plan: 7 A City that Cares Mental Health Reforms is a publication of By Robert van Voren Global Initiative on Psychiatry (GIP). While MHR is distributed free of charge, Institutions of Residential Care 10 we are dependent on your support to in Lithuania: Inglorious Past, sustain the journal. Contributions are Vague Perspectives therefore welcome and may be made to: By Egle Šumskiene and Dovile Juodkaite ABN AMRO Bank The Lessons from Reforming a System 13 ’s Gravelandseweg Branch of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Hilversum, The Netherlands in Lithuania BIC: ABNANL2A By Vytautas Blazys Euro account:62.07.29.074 IBAN: NL16 ABNA 0620 7290 74 USD account: 62.07.29.244 Interpretation and Implementation 15 IBAN: NL82 ABNA 0620 7292 44 of the International Human Rights Standards in Lithuania To request additional copies please By Dovile Juodkaite contact: Lithuanian Psychiatric Association – 17 Global Initiative on Psychiatry 1990 Goals vs. the Current Situation P.O. Box 1282 By Dainius Puras 1200 BG Hilversum The Netherlands Policy Study on Prevention of Suicide 18 Tel.: +31 35 683 8727 in Lithuania Fax: +31 35 683 3646 By Ramon J. Pebenito Jr. and Arunas Germanavicius e-mail: [email protected] www.gip-global.org Empowerment Strategy for Mental 21 Health Care Users in Decision Making (Lithuanian Experience) By Arunas Germanavicius and Saulius Peciulis (Deceased) Development of Patient’s Person of 23 Trust (POT) Program in Lithuania By Ruta Juodelyte Primary Mental Health Care in 24 Lithuania By Eugenijus Mikaliunas Primary Care Systems in Lithuania: 26 the Role of Psychiatrists By Robertas Bunevicius In Memoriam Saulius Peciulis (1960-2010) 27 Melvin Sabshin (1925-2011) Collective painting during the first open day at Vasaros Psychiatric Hospital, 2004 2 MentalHealthReforms 252 MHR nr 1 2011_A4.indd 2 25-10-2011 14:43:23 Editorial In the fourteenth century, Lithuania was one of the largest countries of Europe, stretching from the Baltic to Ukraine and incorporating Belarus and much of Poland and Russia. For two hundred years it was largely amalgamated with Poland until the 1770’s when it was swallowed by its neighbors, mainly the Russian empire. Between the wars, it was a smaller but independent entity until the Soviets and then the Germans and then again the Soviets occupied it from 1940 until March 1990. By John Bowis and Robert van Voren Twenty-one years ago, Lithuania was the fi rst Soviet republic to dare to do what virtually nobody ever thought would happen: it reinstated the independence it lost with the fi rst were overhauled and “Viltis,” a par- nationally. The country was an ex- Soviet invasion in 1940 and by do- ent organization of children with ample to others and reformers from ing so, set a process in motion that intellectual disabilities, became many other former Soviet republics very much contributed to the disin- the largest NGO in the country. It as well as from other Eastern and tegration of the Soviet Union the fol- seemed that within a decade or two Central European countries came lowing year. Independence brought Lithuania would have shed the dark to Lithuania to see what had been an enormous sense of enthusiasm shades of the totalitarian past. accomplished. and hope, and the nation set itself the task of reuniting with free and Global Initiative on Psychiatry was In 2004, Lithuania joined the democratic Europe and reforming there from the very start. During European Union, thereby fulfi ll- its outdated Soviet economy and all these years, our organization ing probably its biggest and most social structures to modern Euro- invested in mental health reforms improbable dream: it had rejoined pean ones. In the sphere of mental in Lithuania, supporting reformers, Europe within a period of less than health, this desire to reform was no assisting newly established NGOs, fi fteen years. However, joining the less strong. An independent Lithu- bringing Western expertise and European Union also meant that anian Psychiatric Association was advice, setting up projects with reform was no longer seen as a formed, a system of mental health Lithuanian colleagues and step prerequisite to becoming part of Teacher and centers to be housed in general by step helping to transform the the European family and millions of students at hospitals was devised, child and mental health landscape. In 2000, structural funds from the European Viltis adolescent mental health services we opened a regional offi ce in the Union soon found their way into Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, which maintaining the old system, rather became the region’s motor for men- than investing in innovation. Lithu- tal health reform. Projects focused anians saw their diplomas recog- on all the possible areas of mental nized in Western Europe and, as a health: community-based mental result, a mass exodus started which health care services, psychogeriat- to date has resulted in the emigra- rics, eating disorders, forensic psy- tion of approximately one-fi fth of chiatry and prison mental health, the country’s population. Among intellectual disability, user and fam- these have been many doctors and ily involvement in mental health – nurses, whose salaries in Lithuania both individual care and treatment are so low that it is virtually impos- decisions and service planning, sible to live off one salary – while patient advocacy, mental health much more can be earned working economics and developing men- abroad. tal health policy both locally and October 2011 3 252 MHR nr 1 2011_A4.indd 3 25-10-2011 14:43:23 The result is a very painful situation, with a country that suffered heav- ily from the economic recession, a population that has lost many of its brightest and most active citizens to emigration, an increasingly anti- European political climate and a stagnating mental health system, where the process of reform has come to a halt because of a combi- nation of factors: a severe decrease in available funding, a lack of bright young and innovative minds, and a general attitude that further change is no longer necessary. This edition of Mental Health Reforms is, therefore, an unusual issue. It not only reports on suc- maybe more than those filled with John Bowis is a former Health and cesses, it also very much reports stories of success and optimism. Social Services Minister in the UK, a on failures: failures to change the It functions as a warning that, after former member of the European Par- system fundamentally and perma- twenty years of investment, things liament and is currently a health policy nently, a failure to depart fully from can develop in an adverse direc- advisor and Secretary of the Board of the past of a biologically oriented tion; that investments can fail; that Global Initiative on Psychiatry. and institutionally based Soviet high optimism can eventually come Robert van Voren is Chief Executive mental health care system, a failure up against reality with sometimes of Global Initiative on Psychiatry. to continue to take the lead and unpleasant consequences. It is John Bowis: [email protected] show other countries in the region also a warning that membership Robert van Voren: how mental health services can of the European Union in itself is [email protected] be remodeled to the benefit of its no guarantee that the process of users without an abundance of fi- Europeanization will continue. To nancial means. the contrary: being “in” might be reason enough to stop changing, We decided, however, that this because it is no longer a condition journal is a very necessary issue, for being “in.” GIP Vilnius Celebrates World Mental Health Day 2011 For the third year, GIP/Vilnius joined with the Vilnius City Mental Health Center (Vasaros Clinical Hospital) and the Ministry of Health to celebrate “World Mental Health Day 2011.” On October 7 of this year, the event titled “Let’s Make Friendship 2011” was held in V. Kudirkos Square in the heart of the city from 12-5 p.m. There were many ac- tivities organized in tents and on stage, including a museum of psy- chiatry. The Mental Health Biblioteca brought many publications on the theme and viewers admired the masterpieces of artists suffering from mental health problems. Young artists created “costumes” of depression, schizophrenia and other mental disorders and one tent allowed visitors to attempt crafts that are used in therapies for pa- tients. Mental health services in other countries were highlighted and medical student volunteer and those working on hot lines for children and youth explained their work. Psychiatrists and psychologists dis- cussed mental health issues and provided consultations. Individuals with intellectual disabilities presented musical performances on stage next to professional musicians and singers. These events intended to celebrate World Mental Health Day and remind each of us about the essence of good mental health for both individuals and society. In addition, demonstrations of strengths and capabilities of persons with mental disorders facilitated their integra- tion into society – with friendships established among all of us. 4 MentalHealthReforms 252 MHR nr 1 2011_A4.indd 4 25-10-2011 14:43:26 Evidence-Based Mental Health Policy in Lithuania Since an independent Lithuania began demo- cratic reforms in 1990, there have been several attempts to introduce evidence-based mental health policy.
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