Government establishes minimum quality standards for mental health community centers

The Government has adopted minimum quality standards for mental health community centers. According to Health Minister Andrei Usatii, the document sets out 33 standards that concern the care for patients, conditions for activities, medication therapy, free time, professional orientation, family integration and relationship maintenance, Info-Prim Neo reports. Mental health community centers are created to provide treatment to people who suffer from mild to medium mental disorders or retardation aged 18-60 years. People with a disability status are admitted to temporary placement centers. There are also day centers for children aged 4-18. It was estimated that such an institution which accommodates 60 persons spends 1.6 million lei a year. Medical costs are covered by the National Health Insurance Corporation, while social costs by the local authorities with jurisdiction over the territory where the respective centers are located. In Moldova, there are 2,700 people with mental health problems for 100,000 of population. The total number was estimated at 97,000 in 2009. Today there are 28,000 people with a disability status associated with a mental illness.