Natrag Improving the provision of mental health in Albanian prisons

Improving the provision of mental health in Albanian prisons

The provision of mental health in prisons remains a long-standing concern and a challenge to be addressed by the Albanian penitentiary system, according to the consecutive monitoring reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and the ECtHR judgment Strazimiri v. Albania.

The European Union and Council of Europe are assisting Albanian authorities to assess the provision of mental health care services in prison facilities where special care is established for prisoners with mental health disorders vis- a- vis international standards. Additional assistance is provided to the authorities in setting up a unified system of detection and treatment in regular prison facilities, and also in planning an intervention which will improve the treatment of psychiatric forensic patients.

In this light, on 22 July a workshop presenting the findings of the assessment in Durrës prison took place - a facility dedicated to prisoners with mental health disorders, providing tailored recommendations concerning the needed improvements. At the event, the main issues of concern were evidenced, and an outline of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on the provision of mental health care in prisons was discussed. During the meeting, the need of an initial screening of the instruments in place concerning detection and treatment of mental health disorders in prisons based on specific target groups was highlighted, more specifically for women prisoners, psychiatric forensic patients and prisoners with mental health disorders.

This activity was organised within the scope of the action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, part of by the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.

 

 

Albania 23 July 2021
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