FRA conference on Autonomy and Inclusion of People with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental

Health problems

WG 3: De-Institutionalisation

„MAPPING EXCLUSION” – Maria NymanMental Health Europe

Mental Health Europe (MHE)

A European non-governmental organisation committed to:

• the promotion of positive mental health and well-being• the prevention of mental distress• the improvement of care• advocacy for social inclusion• protection of human rights for people with mental health problems, their families and carers

What factors determine personal autonomy and self-determination?

Autonomy is one of the general principles of the CRPD-Equal recognition before the law-Right to choice of place to live-Right to live independently-Right to physical and mental integrity-Right to not be deprived liberty-Right to education-Right to communication-Right to employment etc-Awareness-raising in society. All have a role to plat in ensuring emowerment and self-emancipation!

How can we ensure that people have a choice of where to live?

- All countries to develop DI strategies (deadlines, budgets, alternatives, involvement of civil society, in particular persons concerned themselves);

- Use existing examples and expertise available (eg. EEG);

- Economic arguments BUT: Human Rights are not for sale!

Is it possible to provide specialized support to persons with disabilities regardless of where they live?

The right to equality access to services and support will require:

- Flexibility- Individualised approach- Choice- Adequate services including PA/Ombudsman- Developed on the basis of expert assessment and

respect of fundamental rights- The person him/herself has the rights to decide

Is it possible for institutions or community housing facilities to be in compliance with the UN CRPD?

-Not if institutions in the traditional sense: the person must be able to make his/her own decisions and have the appropriate support and services

- First choice for many is independent living – not even smaller “group homes”

- Attention: your own home can become an institution. It is more concept than a question of size

MAPPING EXCLUSION – an MHE project

Sponsored by:

Aim: to collect data about psychiatric institutions in Europe and develop a report which

Shows the recent trends in policies and legislation in EU member states

Introduces readers into relevant EU legislation, legal and financial tools (how they are used)

Refers to recent researches in the field

Provides readers with number of people living in institutions / receiving community based services in each EU Member State

Will be the first ever European report on DI focusing on the mental health sector

MAPPING EXCLUSION – an MHE project

Final result: a report published by MHE, containing

1.Recent data on institutional care in the mental health field (source of data: MHE member NGOs and available statistics, researches incl. FRA publications)

2.Analysis of EU-level policies and legislation, tendencies

3.Conclusions and recommendations

+ report printed in ENG, summaries translated into French, German, Spanish, Polish, Hungarian, Dutch and Romanian+ disseminated widely in the EU-level by MHE and cooperating NGOs + in the national level by all 60+ MHE members

Mental Health Europe – Santé Mentale EuropeBoulevard Clovis 7, B-1000, Brussels

Tel. +32 2 280 04 68 Fax +32 2 280 16 04E-mail: info@mhe-sme.org

www.mhe-sme.org