Enhancing healthcare provision in Georgia's penitentiary system

The project aims to protect the human rights of prisoners and probationers by improving the quality of the access, provision and organisation of mental health and substance use-related services, as well as other relevant therapeutic and rehabilitation activities.

The project will assist national authorities in further developing appropriate policies and strengthening capacities to ensure equivalence and continuity of healthcare for offenders, in line with Council of Europe standards and best practices. Updated standards and guidance will include gender-sensitive, non-discriminatory, patient-oriented and evidence-based strategies.

WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO ACHIEVE?

Strengthened policy, regulatory and strategic frameworks for the provision and organisation of mental health care services;
Improved tools and methodologies for national human rights bodies who monitor the quality of the provision of mental healthcare provision in penitentiary and probation systems;
Increased capacity and skills of the management, operational and medical staff of penitentiary and probation systems, as well as the independent monitoring staff.

HOW WILL THE PROJECT WORK?

A combination of needs assessments, expert advice, round tables, working groups and experts’ meetings, and tailor-made training courses will serve to achieve the goal of the project.

The project team works closely with partners, i.e. the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the Public Defender's Office/National Preventive Mechanism and relevant civil society organisations. The project facilitates dialogue between relevant stakeholders to ensure a joint national approach to managing mental healthcare and well-being of offenders. It will support the creation of a multi-disciplinary and holistic methods which consider all situations of vulnerability such as those concerning women, juveniles, persons with disabilities, people who use drugs and LGTBQI people.

The Project is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia (2020-2023) and its total budget is 600 000 Euros.

The project started on 1st of April 2022 and runs until the end of December 2023.

The project builds on the achievements of the European Union - Council of Europe joint project “Human Rights and Healthcare in Prisons and Other Closed Institutions in Georgia” (2010-2017), and the previous projects funded by voluntary contributions, namely: the projects on “Improving Mental Health Care of Persons Detained in Georgia” (2018-2019) and “Enhancement of Human Rights and Health-Care Support to Penitentiary System” (2019-2022).

Project documentation

Useful information

Tbilisi office Website

Project news

Back Strengthening the role of Georgian psychologists and social workers in the processes of rehabilitation and resocialisation: a high-level conference held in Tbilisi

Vladislav SPIRLICENCO

Modified 1 Year ago.

Strengthening the role of Georgian psychologists and social workers in the processes of rehabilitation and resocialisation: a high-level conference held in Tbilisi

The Council of Europe continues to support Georgian authorities in strengthening the role of psychologists and social workers and improving inter-agency communication and co-ordination between all relevant stakeholders involved in rehabilitation and resocialisation in Georgia.

On the initiative of the Ministry of Justice, the Council of Europe supported a high-level inter-agency conference, which took place in Tbilisi on 20-21 December 2022. The conference was attended by Deputy Ministers and other representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. This was the first ever event fully devoted to the rehabilitation and resocialisation work in Georgia with participation of all relevant national authorities.

Natalia Voutova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, addressed the conference participants with opening remarks. “The work of social workers and psychologists is of outmost importance in order to make sure that the penitentiary system is more humane, so the offenders can reintegrate to the society and have a meaningful life” - said Ms. Voutova.

During the two-day event, psychologists and social workers from all over the country exchanged views on their practices, challenges and plans with regards to case management and discussed specific ways of intersectoral cooperation in order to increase the effectiveness of their work. The conference highlighted the importance of experience sharing as an excellent tool to create synergies between relevant institutions and to further enhance the quality of the rehabilitation services Georgia provides to its citizens, in accordance with best European and international standards.

This conference was organized under the auspices of the Council of Europe project “Enhancing Healthcare Provision in Georgia’s Penitentiary System”, which is a part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023, with the initiative of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and the National Agency for the Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation.

Georgia 21 December 2022