A community mental health center was opened at the Rascani Local Medical Association in Chisinau. The people living in the district and in the suburban communes of Stauceni, Gratiesti and Goianul Nou will have access to medical services to prevent, detect and treat mental health problems, IPN reports.

In the opening ceremony, Rascani Local Medical Association director Valentina Paslari said the institution will provide high-quality medical assistance. “An efficient connection will be made between primary medical, hospital and social assistance,” she stated.

Attending the event, Mihai Moldovanu, head of the Chisinau Municipal Council’s Health Division, said similar centers were also opened in another four districts of Chisinau. “Our purpose is to ensure the municipality of Chisinau has an integral network for the provision of community mental health services as a result of the decentralization of these services provided by the Psychiatric Hospital,” he said.

According to Vadim Aftene, director of the Racani community mental health center, the institution will focus on the improvement of the mental health of the population of Rascani district by providing prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation services. “The goal of the center is to eliminate those myths about mental disorders that prevail in society. The persons should see a doctor when it is necessary. The center has a multidisciplinary team, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, psychologist, social assistant, etc. They together assess the problem and, with the consent of the patient, offer solutions to help the persons overcome the difficult situations they experience,” stated Vadim Aftene.

A sum of 900,000 lei was allocated from the municipal budget for renovating and outfitting the community mental health center of Rascani. The setting up of such centers is provided in the strategy for decentralizing the services provided by the Psychiatric Hospital.