BABEL

Babel Day Centre provides mental health service to migrants (individuals, families, children, adolescents and groups since 2007 in Athens, Greece and rather in Kipseli, maybe the most multicultural neighborhood of the city.
Babel’s main mission is the mental healthcare of migrants (regardless their legal or residence status) living in Athens and distinguished with the triple scheme of the migrant or refugee condition, a different ethno-cultural background and the experience of mental disorder. Towards this, Babel endeavors to create a home (including assistance for material conditions) where people can be heard, understood and supported as individuals, as a couple, family or group with a mental health request. Within that home every person can retain or make their meaning for the loss of the original home and the expectations for a new personal, family or social life. Emphasis is given to a customized approach and an individual treatment plan; both evolved as a result of a consultation between the professionals and the beneficiary. A beneficiary-centered network is set up every time so that more needs are met. Operation responsibility of Babel Day Centre is under Syn-eirmos Social Solidarity NGO (www.syn-eirmos.gr).
 

   SXEDIA

The Non-Profit Organization "Diogenis NGO" was established in the early 2010 for supporting homeless and socially excluded persons to reintegrate our society. Sxedia’s main goal is the activation, the strengthening, the empowerment, the training and last the creation of perspectives of jobs for those fellow men of ours who face poverty and social exclusion to an extreme degree.

PROLEPSIS

The Prolepsis Institute is a non-governmental organization, active in the field of medical research, health promotion, environmental and occupational health since 1990. Prolepsis strongly support the belief that health is a fundamental, nonnegotiable and inalienable right for every human being. The vision of the institute is a society that maintains and promotes physical and mental health and prosperity equally and justly for all people, especially the most vulnerable, while respecting human freedom and protects our planet for future generations. The mission is to respond to major public health needs of Greece and Europe, by conducting rigorous academic research and translating it into action through education, advocacy and direct service. Prolepsis promote health and health equity for all Europeans. This mission is rooted in the belief that health equality is a necessary pre-requisite for broader social justice. Prolepsis is committed to equality, social inclusion and respect for individual differences and choices.
 

POLYDYNAMO, MUNICIPALITY OF ATHENS

The Multipurpose Center for the Homeless of the Municipality of Athens is a modern structure operating 24 hours a day. It consists of 55 apartments, each of which includes an average of three bedrooms with TV, heater, ceiling fan, kitchen and bathroom. The structure can accommodate more than 300 people, a capacity that fully meets the needs of the city and consists of a Day Centre, a Dormitory and a Hostel. The guests of the Multipurpose Homeless Centre are provided with accommodation, food, psychological support and medical care. A Nursing Service operates in the building, staffed by experienced personnel who support the guests when they need nursing care. At the same time, the social workers carry out medical consultations and deal with requests on pension, legal and employment issues. A lending library also operates in the centre in cooperation with the Equal Society. Through daily contact with the workers and through a holistic approach to social reintegration, the integration of the guests into programme implemented in cooperation with the central administration and other bodies, such as the "Housing & Work" programme, is promoted.
 

   MSF DAY CARE CENTER

MSF brings humanitarian medical assistance to victims of conflict, natural disasters, epidemics or healthcare exclusion.
MSF offer basic healthcare, perform surgery, fight epidemics, rehabilitate and run hospitals and clinics, carry out vaccination campaigns, operate nutrition centres, and provide mental healthcare. MSF’s activities include the treatment of injuries and disease, maternal care and the provision of humanitarian aid. Where necessary, MSF set up sanitation systems, supply safe drinking water, and distribute relief to assist survival.
 

POSITIVE VOICE

The Positive Voice is the Greek Association of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Association was founded in 2009 with the aim of defending the rights of HIV positive people, countering the spread of HIV/AIDS, as well as limiting its social and economic impact in Greece. According to its Statues, in order to achieve its purpose, the Association strives to ensure better prevention and information practices, care services and social care for people living with HIV/AIDS and for social groups vulnerable to HIV. At the same time, it works for social acceptance, solidarity and support for these groups in order to address violations of their dignity and human rights. “Red Umbrella Athens (RUA)” is an Empowerment Center for Sex Workers. It was created in December 2015 on the initiative of “Positive Voice” (Greek Association of People Living with HIV), “Checkpoint” (Prevention & Sexual Health Centers) and “Prometheus” (Hellenic Liver Patient Association). Red Umbrella is designed and implemented by people from both the sex workers’ community and other vulnerable social groups. Also, “Ref Checkpoint: the prevention and sexual health centre for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers” provides accessibility to free testing and counselling - without stigma and discrimination.
 

MÉDECINS DU MONDE - OPEN POLYCLINICS

Doctors of the World / Médecins du Monde – Greece (MdM-Greece), founded in 1990, is a medical humanitarian non-governmental organization and is a member of Médecins Du Monde International which consists of 17 delegations (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Turkey, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America). Médecins du Monde – Greece, since the beginning of its operations, has been implementing several projects within Greece and abroad, in order to provide medical as well as other services to marginalized populations that cannot access healthcare services and medical care.
 

The Open Polyclinics of Doctors of the World operate in Athens and Thessaloniki. The Open Polyclinics of Doctors of the World operate with the main goal of providing primary health care as well as social and psychological support to people belonging to vulnerable social groups, such as the homeless, those in need, the uninsured, immigrants, refugees without administrative documents and to any other person with limited or zero access to the National Health System. In addition, there is the possibility for patients to perform free laboratory tests, through referrals to collaborating organizations. After the patients are monitored by the doctors of the Polyclinic, they are given the necessary medicines.
 

OKANA- “STEKI 46”
The Organisation Against Drugs (ΟΚΑΝΑ) has been operational since 1995 as a legal person that is governed by private law and reports to the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity. Its constituent instrument stipulates that OKANA shall: plan, promote, coordinate and implement a national policy on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts; address the drug problem at a national level, provide valid and documented information, and raise public awareness; establish and effectively manage prevention centres, treatment units and social and professional reintegration centres. The Supervised Use Area is essentially the place where active users can use substances under supervision, safely, with clean equipment, reducing the risks to their health and the transmission of diseases. The therapeutic approach is accompanied by health care and the linking of beneficiaries with other services, with the ultimate aim of integrating them into a treatment programme. At the same time, the Supervised Use Area helps to reduce the nuisance that may be created in the places where drug addicts congregate, as well as the delinquency that may be associated with drug use. It is fully equipped and staffed with a multidisciplinary team to meet the needs of the beneficiaries. It includes 12 specially designed places for injecting and/or inhaling pre-acquired drugs, accommodation for beneficiaries, a clinic for primary care and treatment of overdose cases, and a space for counselling/psychological support and linking beneficiaries to a treatment programme.
 

  PRAKSIS

DAY CENTER FOR HOMELESS AT PIRAEUS AND AT ATHENS
The Open Day Centres for the Homeless of PRAKSIS are located in Athens and Piraeus. They are open, direct access structures to address the basic needs of the population experiencing homelessness and provide primary health care, personal care and hygiene services, as well as interfacing with other services.

More specifically, beneficiaries are empowered through a framework that includes the following services:

• Daily accommodation in a safe and properly heated/air-conditioned place;

• Personal hygiene (hot bath) and provision of sanitary items;

• Use of washing machines for cleaning clothes;

• Provision of clothing and footwear;

• Provision of beverages and snacks;

• Storage of personal belongings in a safe place;

• Basic health care and medication;

Participation in individual and/or group meetings with specialized staff of the Centre for the individualized assessment of needs and joint planning of problem management; Liaison with services for housing, food, psychological support, legal assistance, counselling, health, welfare, social and labour reintegration, when required.

In the context of the long-standing significant volunteer presence and offer, they were created and are still operating today at the Homeless Day Centre in Athens: Imathiotheque, Lending Library, Film Club, Children's Corner.


PRAKSIS COMMUNITY CENTER
At the PRAKSIS Community Centre in Athens, free primary health services are provided to vulnerable social groups who experience social exclusion regardless of their origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ideology or political beliefs. PRAKSIS’ s main concern is the holistic treatment of these people with the main objective of prevention, provision and promotion of health services. At the same time, the inadequacies and dysfunctions of the public health system are recorded and highlighted, with particular emphasis on special groups and the highlighting of the problems they face and their subsequent linkage with the relevant institutions. Health care services are provided by a general practitioner, a gynaecologist, a neurologist/psychiatrist and a dentist, together with the administration of pharmaceuticals from the centre's social pharmacy if available. The aim of the medical department is to provide therapeutic intervention, health counselling and education in the proper use of medication. Also, as part of the Public Health activities, information is provided and tests for HIV, hepatitis B & C are carried out with rapid tests.

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FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION

 

´   What is the profile of PEH?

´   Which are the main challenges?

´   Are there are similarities among our target groups?

´   Have there been any changes the last year? To which direction?

´ What do we mean with the term “participation”?

´ How do we approach participation?

 

´ Which are the key recommendations that we would like to
  address at local, national and EU level?