Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to Penitentiary System in Georgia

The Project builds upon the results achieved from the implementation of the previous CoE actions in Georgia, namely the EU-CoE JP “Human rights and healthcare in prisons and other closed institutions in Georgia” implemented in two phases between 2010-2017, and the VC project “Improving mental health care of persons detained in Georgia” implemented during 2018-2019. The previous projects supported to develop mental health care policies in prisons and other closed institutions and to improve the prison staff’ knowledge and skills to handle mental health-related issues better.

The current Project will assist the Special Penitentiary Service (Ministry of Justice) of Georgia in further improvement of healthcare services within the penitentiary system with a particular focus on mental healthcare.

It will also assist development and application of treatment of drug and alcohol addictions while strengthening of harm-reduction approach.

attention will be paid to the continuation of the suicide prevention programmes and training for the psychologists and medical personnel employed in the system.

The Project offers targeted solutions to:

the improved access of inmates to quality psychiatric care and treatment programmes;
establishment of an effective quality internal control mechanism on the provision of health care.

This Project will be implemented within 24 months, with an overall budget of 600 000 Euros financed by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2016-2019.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Updated Monitoring Tool to Address Drug Addictions in Georgian prisons

@ Council of Europe

A two-day working group (WG) meeting was held on 24-25 February 2022 to support the update of the National Preventive Mechanism’s (NPM) Monitoring Tool to address drug addictions in penitentiary institutions in Georgia. The WG meeting was attended by representatives from the Public Defender’s Office, including both the NPM Department and the Special Preventive Group.

Members of the WG discussed the recommendations proposed by the Council of Europe international consultant to improve the existing tool being used during monitoring visits. As a result, the tool was accordingly updated, allowing NPM to carefully assess, among others, the practice of screening for substance use and dependency upon admission, timely treatment of withdrawal crisis, access to Opioid Agonist Treatment, psychosocial services offered to inmates with substance use disorders, as well as continuity of care after release.

This workshop was organised in the framework of the project “Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to the Penitentiary System”. The Project is funded by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia.

Georgia 25 February 2022