COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN CROATIA

Cilj ovog rada je prikazati programe podrške u zajednici za osobe s duševnim smetnjama u Republici Hrvatskoj. Mentalne bolesti postaju sve veći problem današnjice, te najčešće od njih obolijevaju ljudi u mlađoj životnoj dobi čime se u većoj mjeri narušava kvaliteta života i radna sposobnost. Osobe s duševnim smetnjama nailaze na brojne prepreke tijekom svog života, suočavaju se sa stigmatizacijom, predrasudama, nerazumijevanjem i neprihvaćanjem. Isto tako, sustav liječenja još uvijek se najviše temelji na bolničkom liječenju, te je većina njih smještena u domove socijalne skrbi, psihijatrijske bolnice i manje obiteljske domove. No nije dovoljno liječenje osoba s duševnim smetnjama samo lijekovima, zatvaranjem u ustanove i otpuštanjem u okruženje koje ne pruža podršku. Da bismo održali oporavak od bolesti i očuvali duševno zdravlje, potrebno je pomoći osobi na najbolji mogući način, a to je integrirati je u društvo i uključiti u zajednicu. Stoga je u ovom radu naglasak na procesima koji podižu kvalitetu života osobe, opisuje se proces deinstitucionalizacije, transformacije domova socijalne skrbi, modeli razvoja zajednice, socijalne usluge, case management, samozastupanje, rad brojnih udruga, te uloga socijalnog rada koja je u ovom području od velike važnosti. Prihvaćanjem osobe s duševnim smetnjama u zajednici i pružanjem podrške utječe se na ponovno stjecanje osjećaja vlastite vrijednosti, vraćanja samopouzdanja i posebice pozitivno djeluje na zaštitu mentalnog zdravlja.The aim of this paper is to present community support programs for people with mental illness in Croatia. Mental illnesses are becoming a growing problem today, and most commonly affect young people which is more likely to impair their quality of life and ability to work. People with mental illness face numerous obstacles throughout their lives, facing stigmatization, prejudice, misunderstanding and rejection. Likewise, the treatment system is still mostly hospital based and most of them are placed in social care homes, psychiatric hospitals and smaller family homes. However, it is not enough to treat people with mental illness with medications, putting them in institutions and releasing them into unsupportive environment. In order to maintain their recovery from illness and preserve their mental health it is necessary to help them in the best possible way, which is to integrate them into society and involve in the community. Therefore, this paper focuses on processes that raise the quality of life of a person, describes the process of deinstitutionalization, transformation of social care homes, models of community development, social services, case management, self-empowerment, self-representation, and the major role of social work in this field. The positive impact of accepting a person with mental illness in the community and providing support has the effect of regaining a sense of self-worth, restoring confidence and a particularly positive effect on mental health care