Integrate to Include
Created by Carregal do Sal Municipality
Promote social inclusion to the population with mental illnesses and promote the involvement of families through social support and psychological support.
Description
The challenge to be addressed is the social inclusion of people with mental illness, or with cognitive or functional limitations.
The Local Council of Social Action (CLAS) has identified a high number of people with mental illnesses and who present dysfunctionalities in the relational, occupational and supervisory areas, namely in life activities daily, in the organization of social and relational life. Some of this population does not have family support, and it is therefore more vulnerable and in need of support to promote their autonomyand social participation.
Despite having some services and social support structures, the municipality intends to implement a specific solution for the population with disabilities. It is intended to create in the county an occupational unit/structure, daytime, in the old facilities of a kindergarten, in order to support and accompany people with mental illness promoting and fostering:
-Recreational activities;
-Supervision of medication and consultation;
-Social and cultural activities;
-Support in activities of daily living;
-Psychosocial rehabilitation, through psychological and social support and monitoring;
-Support and promote the involvement of family members with the aim of improving their family integration;
It is also intended to promote and support the social and professional integration of this target population, by referring them to training entities/services. In order to achieve this, it will be possible to count on the collaboration of technicians from various areas and training, such as regarding health (nurses); social workers and animators and regarding culture (technicians of the municipality and of the associations) for the promotion of the actions that are intended to be developed.
This framework intends to understand how it is possible to strengthen this unit, through the mobilization of agents and activities appropriate to the goal to be achieved.
Target
Carregal do Sal, a municipality with a population of 9835 inhabitants, is placed in the Center region of Portugal, in the NUTS III Viseu Dão Lafões.
The target audience is made of young people and adults with low to moderate level mental illness (without requiring frequent medical intervention), with relational and occupational dysfunctionalities and difficulties in social integration, who need support for the performance of daily activities, social monitoring and health monitoring.
The choice of the target group was based on the existing signal of these cases and took into account the fact that a part of this population does not have an adequate family support to their needs and is therefore more vulnerable.
The autarchy has as its objectives the support to the disadvantaged/vulnerable population and the promotion of social inclusion, either through its service of social action or through its involvement with the Social Solidarity Private Institutions (IPSS) of the municipality
Competencies
The challenge identified is fully aligned with the objectives of the Social Development Plan (PDS) In its action plan, axis 4 "Develop and create social responses regarding Childhood, Youth, the Elderly, Disability and Mental Health "aims to promote social inclusion and fight poverty and discrimination in the areas of childhood, youth, the elderly, disability and mental health which should be answered through the creation of the Socio-Occupational Unit of Carregal do Sal. Efforts have been made to identify the population at risk of social exclusion and the need for support. This work has been complemented by health surveys carried out by entities of this scope and by the work carried out by the local IPSS that provide support to this population. The municipality has been carrying out a series of activities, with the support of the “Vários” which provides specialized services to disabled people.
Ms Borges is part of the municipal executive and works in the area of social action.
Innovation
The search for solutions to this challenge is based on the recognition of the existence of a large number of people with mental illness and/or cognitive impairments who need institutional support for areas such as health and wellness monitoring, daily activities, occupation and training/employment.
In addition to creating a space for the care and follow-up of people with mental illness, it is intended to find solutions that allow specialized support,in order to promote their social and professional integration and quality of life. These solutions should focus on a psychotherapeutic approach, risk prevention and family involvement. In order to promote the autonomy of the individual the solutions should also take vocational training into account as a key element for achieving this goal.
Commitment
The organizational structure of the Municipality integrates individuals that specifically work in the areas related to social action, and also integrates the CLAS (composed of a broad set of entities of the territory that work in the area of social support) and, as such, it is committed to fulfilling the strategic objectives of the Social Development Plan of the municipality of Carregal do Sal. The municipality can contribute to the definition of the solutions through the availability of physical space and the availability of human resources to support the initiative described above, with the support of the partners, namely in health and other topics (IPSS).
In the context of cooperation with the solution provider, it is envisaged that technicians from different areas and backgrounds will be involved, is responsible for providing information about the target audience, supporting the establishment of contacts and implementation of activities aimed at the population with mental illnesses.
The Challenge Owner
Carregal do Sal Municipality
