A Concept Note and a Plan of Actions for the psychosocial rehabilitation of patients in psychiatric institutions of the Republic of Moldova, including forensic patients, was presented at a Round Table held in Chisinau. The two documents are results of an assessment mission carried out by the Council of Europe consultants earlier this year.

Mental health specialists from the psychiatric hospitals from Chisinau, Balti and Orhei, and representatives of specialised departments of the Ministry of Health (18) agreed that the modern psychiatric treatment expands beyond containment and medication, and the process of psychosocial rehabilitation should be seen as an integral part of mental health services offered in hospitals.

An agreement was reached on the treatment of patients in an integrated manner, based on the multi-axial (medical, personality, social) assessment of persons with a mental disorder, and a commitment was expressed in pursuing the short, medium, and long-term actions as defined in the proposed Plan of Actions.

The Psychosocial recovery-oriented models that have demonstrated success in terms of quality of care, reduced stigma, and increased patients’ satisfaction in other CoE member States were highlighted during the meeting.  The leading role patients should have in shaping the rehabilitation process according to their needs, the continuity of the treatment after discharge, but also addressing the causes of relapse (triggers) shortly after discharge were discussed as well.

The roundtable was facilitated by the Council of Europe consultants and was attended by mental health specialists from psyhiatric hospitals, with the participation and support of the representatives of the Ministry of Health. The activity was organised on 27 October 2022 under the auspices of the Project “Strengthening the prison and probation reforms, provision of health care and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova”, financed through the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova (2021-2024) and implemented by the Council of Europe.