Assignment 2 Advocacy for integration of mental health care into primary care and the development of psychiatric rehabilitation services and programs The development of integration of mental health care in primary care is crucial for diverse reasons which include the fact that: - Mental diseases are frequent and create substantial social, professional and economical loss to society, namely in Portugal 1 in each 5 people has a mental disorder, numbers that go highly above European statistics - The coexistence of physical disorders and mental disorders is usual and integrating mental health care into primary care provides for a global and inclusive approach to any individual …show more content…
Support must be addressed through family intervention programs 5. Goal: Improvement of quality of care in psychiatric hospitals and deinstitutionalization Strategy: Reinforcement of human rights legislation and implementation of rehabilitation programs that may facilitate community living Additional concerns Informal community care, such as NGO’s, teachers, police, users and family associations is important for prevention of relapse and it represents accessible and acceptable service. Expected difficulties There are several hardships in integration and implementing psychiatric rehabilitation programs such as: - Poor coordination between health services and employment and housing departments: this requires joint management and funding - Financial constraints may make it hard for a mental health budget increase - Mental health professionals may not be willing to accept a shift in paradigm towards a community approach versus a psychiatric hospital approach - Stigma and discrimination in work environments and even in villages and society level are hard to overcome - Absence of promotion and prevention in schools, workplaces and