Call for Applications: Public Policy Executive Course on Mental Health Reform in Central and Eastern Europe

Date:

April 11, 2011

The Open Society Public Health Program and the Central European University Public Policy Executive Programs are seeking applications for an expert-level course, entitled “Leading Change: From Institutional to Community-based Services for People with Mental Disabilities.”

The course is structured to take place in two sessions taught at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary (in June and September) and includes a take-home project to be completed in between sessions.

Financial aid is available for selected participants.

Application Deadline: April 27, 2011

The executive course is designed for executive-level participants (NGO leaders, health and social welfare ministry representatives, heads of units/departments, public servants, specialists, etc.) from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union region. The aim of the program is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to allow them to influence and implement reform for people with mental disabilities in their countries.

Applications are encouraged from the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Course Content Week 1 (June 28 - July 2)

Where we stand: history and progress in the development of community-based support for people with intellectual disabilities
Ideology and values
How to assess the context in your own country
Legal, political, and other frameworks
Funding systems and their creative use
Examples of good arrangements for accommodation, support, work, education, and leisure for people with mental disabilities
Assessing personal leadership potential
Service design: person-centered plans, organizations, and action; working at individual and population levels
Making change happen and developing an action plan

In addition to sessions delivering and facilitating discussion on these topics, participants will be supported to map the situation in their own country and to start to develop an action plan. There will be opportunities for consultation with members of the faculty team.

Course Content Week 2 (August 30 - September 3)

This week will focus on facilitated discussion of the obstacles and opportunities that participants have identified as part of the action planning process. Discussion will focus on obstacles and opportunities in: