Question

How can we facilitate integration of clients in the community?

Problem description

Developing networks is an important aspect of the care taking.  Many of our client live isolated.   When we try to create a network, we are often hampered by exclusion mechanisms because of their psychiatric problem.  Moreover, the procedures are often too complicated for clients to take action themselves.  For instance, regular sport centres are too big, too crowded, too threatening for person with a psychotic vulnerability

Impact - effect

People with psychiatric vulnerability get even more isolated and stigmatised

To do

Create low threshold facilities in the community and integrate them next to the existing activity centres and community houses.  The collaboration with the community houses is a very positive experience,  both in terms of supply as in terms of functioning, but we need more neighbourhood oriented ones.

We found low threshold facilities in Utrecht and in Woerden, run by volunteers, which include the possibility to cook and eat together, and this at a low rate (which is usually welcome for persons living alone).   The existence of these low threshold facilities, accompanied by a ‘STOR’ (chair at receipt) outside day hospital and also during weekends, creates a feeling of security, of structure, of sense giving or purpose.  A safe environment outside the home environment provides these people a handhold, a place “to be”.   Also important to come to rest when a decompensation begins to emerge

Theme

Continuing care pathway

Topic

Actors involved (services, professionals), “who”

Reference -  contact

Ann Verspeet, Izaura Arezes Da Cunha (2B De Link), Marie-Hélène Rutges (2B De Vliering)

Mobile team

2B

Project

SaRA (Antwerpen)

Intership abroad - place

GGZ Altrecht

Date

February 2014