A first draft of a mental health strategy for penitentiary establishments has been developed with a view to improving prevention, early detection, and treatment of mental conditions within the Georgian penitentiary system. The strategy provides a framework to facilitate the sustainable, consistent and continuous clinical care of prisoners with mental disorders, based on individual needs.

Two-day workshop scheduled for 19-20 September gave the possibility to representatives of the Ministry of Justice together with Council of Europe experts to discuss the following topics:

• Mental health screening and assessment;

• Provision of mental health services in the penitentiary system;

• Suicide prevention and crisis management;

• Human resource development;

• Legislative framework and elimination of gaps.

The final strategic document will be presented for adoption to the Government of Georgia.

_{This activity has been organised within the framework of the Project “Improving mental health care of persons detained in Georgia”, funded by voluntary contribution of Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, the Slovak Republic, and Sweden, to support the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2016-2019.}