About

“Towards Community Mental Health and Citizenship”

Creativity and Innovation in Mental Health

The IMHCN is an International Non Governmental Organisation founded by Mental Health Organisations and individuals who have developed good practices services in community mental health based on the whole system approach. Its membership consists of professionals, managers, users, carers, policy makers from many countries.

The good practice and experiences of the IMHCN came from deinstitutionalisation processes and practicalities, that is not only downsizing or even closing psychiatric hospitals, but undertaking a complex process of removing the ideology and power of the institution by putting the person over the institution with his/her subjectivity, needs, life story, significant relationships, social networks, social capital.

In order to do that, it is necessary to shift the power in order to empower people with mental health problems, shift resources from hospitals to a range of community based services useful for his/her whole life. It opens pathways of care and programs that integrate social and health responses and actions. Deinstitutionalisation is therefore a whole change of systems, thinking and practice, that aims at overcoming the old psychiatric ideology while creating a new way of supporting community mental health and taking better care of people with mental health problems.

Further reading on this can be found in our Foundation Document.

The IMHCN is a not for profit NGO established as a community organisation and registered in France with its Bye Laws.

It was founded in 2004 by Trieste Health Authority, Italy; Lille EPSM, France; Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust, UK; Stockholm Mental Health Services, Sweden; Asturias Mental Health Services, Spain and Monaghan and Cavan Mental Health Services, Ireland

Our purpose

The purpose of the Collaborating Network is to bring together places that have been successful in developing good quality community mental health services, with those that are in the process of implementation. With the support of a continuous learning collaboration, organisations and individuals can benefit from others’ experiences.

The IMHCN charter of purpose and actions sets out the values and principles that support the work of the network in promoting the human rights of service users, the standards and actions required to develop a community mental health service that will improve the lives of people with mental health problems.

Our vision

Our vision is a world which respects and values the differences between individuals, enabling people who experience mental health problems, with appropriate supports, to lead fulfilling and productive lives using their strengths to contribute as full citizens and enrich our societies.

Our mission

The mission of the IMHCN is to understand and gather the experiences and knowledge of good practice in community mental health from its membership and to disseminate this rich resource. We also will promote and advocate for the human rights of people with mental health problems.

Our aims & objectives

  • The development and sustainability of community mental health services which are holistic, integrated into society and capable of meeting the needs of individuals and the community in general
  • Deinstitutionalisation, not only from the psychiatric hospital, but also the common psychiatric practice of only responding to the “illness” and not looking at the whole person

The aim of the Collaborating Network is to help those places who are in need. It operates in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), with WHO partner organisations, national ministries, and non-governmental organisations.

Method of work

The Network will achieve its aims through a web site, exchanges of staff for study visits, work placements, workshops, research programmes, international conferences, and access to organisations with similar values, principles and experiences.

International Twinning Conventions or Collaboration Agreements between mental health organizations, NGOs, etc. These are formal agreements to work together in a small network on specific developments learning from good practice and a recovery based approach.

Training and education. Providing technical expertise in the training and education for professionals, managers, users and policy makers. This includes: community MH development, management of services, quality and standards, recovery approach, anti stigma work, human rights.

Conferences and workshops in Whole System Approach, Recovery, Stigma, Empowerment, Community MH development. The IMHCN holds an annual think tank conference and organizes workshops in member organizations around the world.

Study visits and training courses in IMHCN member organizations. training-visits sessions include training in Community based services development and management, Networking with all partners at local – regional level, Information and communication about mental health.

Foundation of the IMHCN

Many years ago a number of mental health individuals and organisation developed an informal network to keep in touch with the development of community mental health and the running down of psychiatric institutions. They shared a common philosophy, good practice, innovations, frustrations and problems. They supported each other in a time of early policy formation in community mental health and implementation of system change.

Conferences and workshops were held in different places in the world that identified many centers of innovative and creative work in community mental health services and practice.

In 2004 it was decided to develop this informal network into an International NGO and thus the IMHCN was formed.

The founder members who constituted the first executive board can be found here.

The IMHCN devised and published a Foundation Document that set out its purpose, mission, values and principles. The Foundation Document can be downloaded here.

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