The main focus of the work was statutory activities. Throughout 2023, members of the organization interacted with numerous public organizations to achieve the primary goal – the protection of human rights. In collaboration with partners, joint events were planned and carried out to organize psychiatric assistance for the population.

In cooperation with the Charitable Foundation “Nezabutni”, a series of working meetings was held and the creation of a working group under the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine was initiated regarding the development of a National Action Plan for Dementia Response in Ukraine in response to the call by the WHO in the report “Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017–2025”.

Members of the organization participated in the preparation of analytical studies initiated by other organizations on issues related to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and elderly persons in residential social protection institutions and institutions providing psychiatric care, and provided recommendations to government authorities and institution leaders on eliminating human rights violations, particularly in the provision of psychiatric care:

1. “Nine Kilometers of Hell. Places of Deprivation of Liberty in Ukraine during the Russian Occupation” (Series of Publications on Torture and Organized Violence. No. 42) – in cooperation with the Danish Institute Against Torture “DIGNITY”, violations of people’s rights in health care facilities and residential social protection institutions were investigated:
/https://library.khpg.org/files/docs/1695205759.pdf/

2. “The Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Residential Institutions during the War: Research Findings” – in cooperation with the NGO “Kharkiv Institute of Social Research”, the state of implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities in residential institutions was analyzed. An analysis of national and international legal acts was conducted:
/https://khisr.kharkov.ua/rava-liudey-z-invalidnistiu-iaki-perebuvaiut-u-statsionarnykh-zakladakh-pid-chas-viyny-rezultaty-doslidzhennia/

3. “The Situation of Internally Displaced Families with Children, Foster Families, and Family-Type Children’s Homes during the War” – in cooperation with the NGO “Kharkiv Institute of Social Research”, the issue of implementing the rights of families with children and ensuring psychiatric care for children with disabilities among internally displaced persons was examined:
/https://sos-ukraine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/rezultaty-doslidzhennya-dity-i-vijna-veresen-lystopad-2022r.pdf/

4. “Preliminary Overview: Places of Deprivation of Liberty in Ukraine during the War” – in cooperation with the NGOs “Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union”; “Ukraine without Torture”; “Expert Center on Human Rights”; “Social Action”; “Fight for Rights”, the issue of human rights compliance in places of deprivation of liberty following the onset of the large-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine was examined:
/https://ffr.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Main_Free_5.pdf/

5. “Invisible Victims of War: People in Places of Deprivation of Liberty” – in cooperation with partner organizations from the Coalition of Human Rights Organizations “Ukraine. 5 in the Morning”, the state of human rights compliance in institutions providing psychiatric care and in residential social protection institutions regarding evacuation, the right to life, and health care was investigated. The report was presented at the Office of the Ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights:
https://notorture.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Nevydymi_zhertvy_viiny_liudy_v_mistsiakh_nesvobody_web.pdf
https://www.ombudsman.gov.ua/news_details/v-ofisi-ombudsmana-prezentuvali-analitichnij-zvit-nevidimi-zhertvi-vijni-lyudi-v-miscyah-nesvobodi

6. “Compliance with the Human Rights of the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities by Private Social Service Providers during Martial Law” – in cooperation with the NGO “Ukraine without Torture” and MF “Vidrodzhennia”, the state of compliance with the rights of elderly persons and persons with disabilities in private nursing homes was examined:
https://notorture.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%96%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%B7%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%82.pdf

Professional Development in Mental Health

Institute staff participated in the trainings:

1. Training for Trainers and Supervisors “WHO Action Program to Bridge Gaps in Mental Health Care (mhGAP)” (32 hours) – 5 Institute employees received the mhGAP trainer and supervisor certificate.
2. “First Psychological Aid and Crisis Intervention. Burnout Prevention” (4 hours).
3. Universal Mh4U Mental Health Training – 1 employee received a trainer certificate for working with frontline specialists (32 hours).
4. “Training for Veterans, Their Family Members, and Families of the Deceased on the Provision of Mental Health Services and Psychosocial Support on the ‘Equal-to-Equal’ Principle as part of the ‘Path to Resilience’ Project”, funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany – 2 employees received the trainer and supervisor certificate.
5. “Resource Mobilization and Planning of the Organization’s Fundraising Activities” (12 hours).
6. “Development of Services and Programs Aimed at Providing Support to Representatives of Key Communities”.

Seminars:
7. A Practical Seminar on Supporting People Experiencing Traumatic Loss and Grief (Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania).
8. “Forensic Psychiatric Examination of Combatants: Organizational and Clinical Aspects”.
9. “Features of Conducting Forensic Psychiatric Examinations in Torture Cases”.

Webinars:
10. “Methodological Recommendations for Organizing Evacuation and Medical-Evacuation Support under Martial Law”.
11. “Psychiatric Care in Sweden”.
12. “Mental and Behavioral Disorders. Basics of Psychiatric Propaedeutics”.

Scientific and Practical Conferences:
13. “Organization of Outpatient and Inpatient Psychiatric Care during the War”.
14. “The State of Compliance with Human Rights in Places of Deprivation of Liberty during the Legal Regime of Martial Law”.
15. Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation “Psychosomatic Medicine: Science and Practice”.

Forums:
16. All-Ukrainian Forum on Mental Inclusion, organized as part of the Ukraine-Switzerland project “Mental Health for Ukraine” (Mh4U).
17. Mental Health Forum “Moving Towards the System and Services of Future Mental Health: Ukraine’s Experience in Capacity Building, Recovery, and Improvement”, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Mental Health Coordination Center of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Participation in Educational Activities:

During the reporting period (2023), 1,113 persons registered and completed training both online and offline (enhancing their qualifications and knowledge), including representatives of human rights organizations, the National Social Service of Ukraine, regional military administrations, residential social protection institutions, the National Police of Ukraine, and health care facilities.

In the implementation of training sessions:

Organized by the NGO “Ukraine without Torture” for monitors and staff of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner, as well as members of public organizations, with the aim of enhancing qualifications and knowledge on monitoring human rights compliance in residential social protection institutions and health care facilities:

1. Online training “Amendments to Legislation and ECHR Practice. Experience of Application during NPM Monitoring Visits” in cooperation with the NGO “Ukraine without Torture”. Knowledge levels were enhanced for 60 persons.
2. Online training “Psychological and Ethical Aspects of Communicating with Detainees under Martial Law Conditions” in cooperation with the NGO “Ukraine without Torture”. Knowledge levels were enhanced for 63 persons.

Organized by the State Enterprise “Institute of Forensic Psychiatry of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine”:

3. A two-day training “Legal and Regulatory Framework for the Operation of Institutions Providing Psychiatric Care. Evaluation of the Quality of Psychiatric and Medical Assistance. Medical-Technological Documents. Theory and Practice of Monitoring Human Rights Compliance in the Provision of Psychiatric Care. National and International Standards for Ensuring the Implementation of Human Rights”. This training enhanced the qualifications of 45 persons.

Organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM):

For medical workers, psychologists, social workers, and other interested persons, in partnership with the IOM at the initiative of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine:

4. A series of trainings “First Psychological Aid and Crisis Intervention. Burnout Prevention”. Approximately 500 non-mental-health specialists enhanced their qualifications.

Organized by the NGO “Obiymy” and the Swiss-Ukrainian project MH4U:

For frontline workers (social workers) with the aim of recognizing mental disorders and referring for professional medical assistance:

5. A universal mental health training for the Territorial Social Service Center (providing social services) of the Shevchenkivskyi District of Kyiv, during which 19 persons were trained.

For police officers of the National Police of Ukraine, with the aim of recognizing mental disorders and referring for professional medical assistance:

6. 16 mental health trainings for juvenile prevention inspectors of the district departments of the National Police of Kyiv and for inspectors of the “POLINA” police mobile groups (Kyiv), during which 192 police inspectors were trained.

Organized by the International Medical Corps:

7. 9 trainings under the mhGAP Program in cooperation with: 1) the International Medical Corps and 2) the NGO “Center for Psychological Support ‘Obiymy’” (with the support of the Swiss-Ukrainian project “Mental Health for Ukraine” (MH4U)) for staff of non-specialized health care facilities from frontline and de-occupied territories on the clinical management of mental disorders under the WHO Action Program to Bridge Gaps in Mental Health Care (mhGAP). This training enhanced the qualifications of 234 persons.

Medical workers from the following regions completed the training: Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv.

Of the 234 medical workers trained, family doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other specialists were prepared, specifically from the total number:
doctors – 130;
nurses – 80;
psychologists – 12;
others – 12.

For the purpose of consulting and sharing experiences in the provision of psychiatric care to the population, 30 group supervisions were conducted, with each training participant taking part in at least 2 supervisions.

Organized and conducted events:

1. A report titled “Organization and Standardization of Mental Health Services for Veterans” was presented at the Veteran Hub (Kyiv).
2. A conference was organized and held with the participation of the Departments of Social Protection of the Regional State Administrations, the Ministry of Social Policy, and the Office of the Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner, titled “Best Practices in Combating COVID-19 under Wartime Conditions”.
3. A report was presented at an online workshop “Mental Health Surveillance in Ukraine – an Essential Basis for Public Mental Health” (Zurich, Switzerland).
4. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and partners – the WHO representation in Ukraine, the company “Education of the 21st Century” and the video content agency “16×9” – master classes were prepared on WHO-approved strategies for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental disorders (https://www.youtube.com/@tvoyementalnezdorovya/videos).
5. A round table was held for representatives of regional military state administrations on the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Participation in the Organization and Work of Working Groups:

1. Working Group of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on the Development of Regulatory Legal Acts for the Provision of Inpatient Psychiatric Care for Children.
2. Working Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and the Technical Working Group on the Organization of Psychosocial Support (MHPSS TWG).
3. Intersectoral Working Group for the Implementation of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Program, chaired by the Minister of Health of Ukraine.
4. Regular participation in the National MHPSS TWG Meeting, which is initiated by the WHO and partners.
5. A working meeting of social sector experts on ensuring the rights of elderly persons and persons with disabilities in non-state-owned institutions, with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the National Social Service, the Department for the Implementation of the National Preventive Mechanism, and 10 human rights organizations.
6. A consultative-expert group for the development of Section 5 “Medicinal Products Used in the Treatment of Mental and Behavioral Disorders” of the State Drug Formulary, regarding the structure of the section for the fifteenth and sixteenth editions of the State Formulary.
7. The Working Group of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine on the Organization of Supported Housing.

Conducting Monitoring Visits to 22 Institutions as Part of the Monitoring Groups of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner

Three Institute employees (Prashko O., Sydorenko V., Bykova Ya.) received an assignment from the Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner to conduct monitoring visits to places of deprivation of liberty. Together with employees of the Department for the Implementation of the National Preventive Mechanism, they participated in monitoring visits, prepared joint reports, and provided recommendations to government authorities and local self-government bodies to address the identified human rights violations. They participated in monitoring visits to the following institutions:

1. The Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Regional Institution for the Provision of Psychiatric Care of the Poltava Regional Council”;
2. The Municipal Institution “Turya-Remetiv Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Zakarpattia Regional Council;
3. The Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Lviv Regional Psychiatric Hospital”;
4. The Municipal Institution “Vynohradiv Children’s Boarding Home” of the Zakarpattia Regional Council;
5. The Municipal Institution of the Lviv Regional Council “Hruškiv Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School”;
6. A private elderly care home “Care for Loved Ones” in Kyiv;
7. A private elderly care home “Care for Loved Ones” (2 facilities) in Kyiv;
8. A private nursing home for the elderly “Parent’s Home” in Kyiv;
9. A private nursing home for the elderly “Ray of Life” in Kyiv;
10. The Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Regional Institution for the Provision of Psychiatric Care in Berehove” of the Zakarpattia Regional Council;
11. The Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Regional Institution for the Provision of Psychiatric Care in the Village of Vilshany” of the Zakarpattia Regional Council;
12. The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv.
13. The Municipal Enterprise “Novosandzhar Children’s Boarding Home” of the Poltava Regional Council;
14. A private nursing home “Care for Loved Ones” in the Kharkiv region;
15. A private nursing home “Care for Loved Ones” in the Kharkiv region;
16. A private nursing home “Homely Hearth” in Kyiv;
17. A private nursing home “Oberih” in Kyiv;
18. A private nursing home “New Life” in Kyiv;
19. A private nursing home “Care of the Beloved” in Kyiv;
20. The Municipal Enterprise “Krynychan Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
21. The Municipal Enterprise “Dnipropetrovsk Geriatric Nursing Home” of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
22. The Municipal Enterprise “Mohylivka Geriatric Nursing Home” of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council.

Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance

1. In cooperation with the Charitable Foundation “Nezabutni” and the State Enterprise “D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, the provision of medicinal products to institutions was organized. In particular, 16 institutions received medicinal products:
– The Dnipro branch of the SZNPD of the Institute (twice during 2023);
– The Horokhiv PNI of the Volyn Regional Council;
– The Kryvyi Rih Social Dormitory of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Pidkamin PNI of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Verkhtsev PNI of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Verkhovyna Settlement Council;
– The Verkhnodniprovsk Children’s Boarding Home No. 1 of the Dnipropetrovsk region;
– Bilozersky CPMCD;
– The Vasylykiv PNI of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Mohylivka Geriatric Nursing Home of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Dmytriv Settlement Council for Feldsher-Midwife Points of the Dmytriv Community (twice during 2023);
– The Snyatyn PNI of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council;
– The Territorial Social Service Center of the Shevchenkivskyi District of Kyiv;
– The KNП “Bohodukhiv PNI” of the Kharkiv Regional Council;
– The Malyzhen PNI of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council;
– The Komariv PNI of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council.

2. Charitable assistance was secured for the Dnipro branch in the form of food products from the Charitable Foundations “100% Life”, “Let’s Help”, and the NGO “Ukraine without Torture”.

3. Resources from charitable organizations were mobilized for:
– Transportation of patients from the Dnipro branch to other institutions for further treatment, as well as for staff to provide accompaniment during transportation;
– The production of passports;
– Providing discharged patients with essential items (cleaning agents, food products).

4. For the Dnipro branch of the Institute, with charitable funds from volunteers from Switzerland and the NGO “Opory”, a mini-bakery facility was set up (construction materials were purchased), and equipment for the mini-bakery and the branch’s food unit was ordered and purchased (a freezer, an oven for proofing and baking dough, a cooking boiler, an induction stove).

For the pottery workshop, funds were secured for the purchase of clay to conduct activities in social and labor rehabilitation of patients.

Media coverage of the NGO’s work, publications – 17 posts on the Facebook page