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 Workshop on Mental Healthcare Provision

Nino LAPACHI

Modified 3 Years ago.

@ Council of Europe

The provision of mental healthcare in public and in penitentiary facilities, and ways to improve the current practices through the monitoring process was discussed among human rights specialists, lawyers, doctors, social workers, and psychologists, as representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM Department and the Special Preventive Group). Particular attention was also dedicated to possible strategies for monitoring mental healthcare provision and ways to cooperate between involved entities.

The issues of discussion included specific challenges in relation to mental healthcare provision, sharing experiences on monitoring systemic problems of penitentiary and other closed institutions, modern approaches to mental health assessment and treatment. The participants also reviewed the Mental Health Strategy 2022-2030 and Government Action Plan 2022-2024, as well as core strategic objectives and available resources. As a result, participants emphasised that monitoring plays a crucial role in improving mental healthcare provision and protection of human rights of people with mental problems. Participants have expressed their willingness to share information and knowledge with other colleagues, which will further expand the impact of the workshop.

This workshop that took place on 18-19 November in Tsinandali, Georgia, 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 02 December 2021