International Charitable Foundation

“Initiative for Mental Health”

Kiev, Ukraine

Initiated by DR.TINA BERADZE

We are a group of medical professionals, practitioners in mental health area, representatives of business, scientific community, political establishment and general public enthusiasts, who are concerned with deteriorating situation with care system, insufficient levels of education and information about mental health, low quality of treatment, lack of policy, guidelines and support in the area of mental health in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.

We are fully aware and prepared to convince others in importance of mental health and emotional well being of people in order to live productive, balanced and happy lives.  We   know how to promote mental health, tackle mental problems and are prepared to lead the efforts to facolitate  understanding, care, infrastructure and social environment linked to the area, which are sharply needed, but are either missing or ignored.  We hope to become the essential element in forming an integrated system of mental health promotion and care – from education, destigmatization, promotion of mental health, prevention and  treatment of disorders, to support of providers and return of service recipients to normal social, work, individual and family life.

Consequently, International Foundation “Initiative for Mental Health” (IFMH) was established. The activities of this charitable foundation include Ukraine, CIS, Caucasus and parts of Eastern Europe and involve a number of territorial representatives – both in medical and non-medical professions. The Initiative is a non-profit NGO structured to be governed by a general assembly of the founders, supervisory council and board of management – all using the assistance of an ad hoc advisory board of leading experts in the required fields and backing of trustees.

The motivation of the founders was to help overcome the challenges, which adversely affect mental well-being of population, prevention of mental disorders and access to care. The activities of the IFMH and  founders are established in the local medical, corporate, social and political community and are known through cooperation arrangements, events and working contacts with leading mental health experts in Europe and United States as well as coordination of  projects and activities with World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations development Program (UNDP), WPA (World Psychiatric Associated, World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP), European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), NHS and National Institute for Mental health (UK), Austrian Association of Psychiatrists, Collegium Internationale NeuroPsychopharmacologicum (CINP) and other esteemed organizations.

Our activities and goals are recognized and supported by allied special-purpose local NGOs such as Academy of Human Life Safety and Ukrainian Psychiatric Association (UPA), as well Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Healthcare Committee of Ukrainian Parliament, progressive political and public activists.

Principal goals of our Foundation include, but are not limited to:

In a wider sense, our aims and efforts fall into the outlines of the WHO guidelines and action plan for mental health. The instruments to address these lines are largely non-existent in Ukraine and CIS due to constant lack of funding, government strategy, sustained efforts of civil organizations, general mental health infrastructure. The unfolding economic crisis and financial difficulties will make changes even more urgent and our initiative even more crucial.

Our main task is creating modern informational infrastructure, including public internet project and support base to bring mental health care and promotion to international standards in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.

To do this, we work closely with individual service users and advisory groups in mental health and learning disabilities. We also work with service providers, consultants, policy makers and academics and media, throughout the Ukraine and in other countries.

The IFMH is visibly represented in the media on weekly and monthly prime-time national TV and radio features with 20 million plus audiences, concerning the proposed IFMH activity lines – as well as through regular articles in high-profile national magazines and journals with at least 120 thousand copies of total distribution a month and recently established presence. While doing this part of the work we have been receiving a nation-wide response from people in all walks of life – as in live phone calls, feedback through web sites, direct e-mails, comments and posts in electronic media and by personal post – all evidencing of a wide public interest and high relevance of the topic.

We take an opportunity to introduce to you our Foundation and call for cooperation, financial support, intellectual and technical assistance, personal participation and kind wishes. Please don’t hesitate to ask for more details including action plans, professional and personal details and references or visit our Internet  initiative.

Wishing you mental health and happiness,

Thank you for your attention and consideration,

Respectfully,

Dr. Tina Beradze, M.D.

Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist

Founder, Head of Supervisory Board,

International Foundation - Initiative for Mental Health –

www.ForMentalHealth.org

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