The persons with mental health problems can receive qualified aid and treatment in ambulatory conditions under the surveillance of the Mental Health Community Centers opened inside family doctors’ centers.

Director of the Centru Local Medical Association Adela Glavan has told IPN that the goal of the Mental Health Community Centers is to reduce the number of admissions to psychiatric hospitals and to provide the necessary treatment at family doctors’ centers or the domicile.

“Not only medicines can help integrate these persons, but also psychotherapy through medical assistance provided by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, ergo-therapist, kineto-therapist etc. At the Community Center, the patients come for consultation, while treatment can be received at home,” stated Adela Glavan. In emergencies, the doctors will travel to patients’ homes.

Doctor of psychology Victoria Saracuta said the task of the psychologist at a Mental Health Community Center is to help persons with mental problems by communication. Only in extreme cases, the persons are redirected to a psychiatric hospital. “The persons with mental disorders do not become aggressive if you communicate with them. They feel well when they discuss what bothers them,” stated the psychologist, saying it is important for these to be accepted in society.

The specialist also said everyone’s personality should be accepted as it is and the persons should be encouraged to speak and make themselves heard. Acceptance leads to reduced violence.

In Chisinau, the fourth Mental Health Community Center was inaugurated in Chisinau on January 10. This is housed by the Family Doctors’ Center No. 7 situated on V. Dokuchaev St. There is only one more district in Chisinau where such a center wasn’t set up. This is Rascani district. But the repair works on the building that will house such a center there are underway and this will be opened in the course of this year.