In 2024, the organization’s main task was statutory activity in accordance with the defined strategic goals and objectives.

Prevention of Torture, Cruel, and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
As monitors of the National Preventive Mechanism of the Secretariat of the Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada, within the monitoring groups, monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty was conducted:
1. Private geriatric nursing home “Care for Loved Ones” in Kyiv;
2. State Enterprise “Chernivtsi Regional Psychiatric Hospital” of the Chernivtsi Region;
3. Municipal Enterprise “Cheresky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Chernivtsi Region;
4. Nyzhno-Stanivetsky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School of the Chernivtsi Region;
5. Municipal Enterprise “Vynohradiv Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Khmelnytskyi Region;
6. Municipal Enterprise “Mykolaiv Geriatric Nursing Home” of the Mykolaiv Region;
7. Municipal Enterprise “Voznesensky Geriatric Nursing Home” of the Mykolaiv Region;
8. Municipal Enterprise “Pushcha-Vodytsky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Kyiv Region;
9. State Enterprise “Regional Medical Specialized Center” of the Zhytomyr Regional Council;
10. Municipal Enterprise “Chortoriysky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Chernivtsi Region;
11. Municipal Enterprise “Chervonenky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Chernihiv Region;
12. Municipal Enterprise “Lyubetsky Psychiatric and Neurological Boarding School” of the Chernihiv Region;
13. State Enterprise “Chernihiv Regional Psychiatric and Neurological Hospital” of the Chernihiv Region;
14. Kyiv Detention Center (4 visits).

Based on the results of the visits, joint reports were prepared for each visit and recommendations were provided to the respective institutions and authorities.

● Participated in the organization and conduct of a round table by the NPM and the State Enterprise “Institute of Forensic Psychiatry of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” titled “The State of Human Rights Compliance in the Application of Coercive Medical Measures” and prepared proposals for amendments to the national legislation regulating the activities of specialized institutions providing psychiatric care. The round table was attended by representatives of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Police, the Association of Forensic Psychiatrists of Ukraine, the Coordination Center for Legal Aid, and the State Judicial Administration;

● In cooperation with the Public Union “All-Ukrainian Association of Organizations in the Interests of Persons with Disabilities ‘Liga Sylnykh’” and the NGO “Kharkiv Institute of Social Research”, participated in the drafting of the analytical report “Supported Living and Living with Support in Ukraine from the Perspective of the De-institutionalization Reform” (https://khisr.kharkov.ua/analitychnyy-zvit-pidtrymane-prozhyvannia-ta-prozhyvannia-z-pidtrymkoiu-v-ukraini-z-pohliadu-provedennia-reformy-deinstytutsializatsii/). The report analyzed the situation in Ukraine regarding alternative residential forms of social services for persons with mental disorders and the elderly;

● In cooperation with the Danish Institute Against Torture and the NGO “Ukraine without Torture” (https://notorture.org.ua/library), a manual titled “Methodology for Preventive Monitoring of Human Rights Compliance in Social Service Institutions” was developed. Recommendations were provided to NPM monitors and other monitoring stakeholders regarding the monitoring of human rights in residential social protection institutions and health care facilities providing psychiatric care.

Collaboration with Institutions and Organizations in the Field of Psychiatric Care, Mental Health, and Human Rights Compliance
Throughout 2024, participation was made in the organization and work of working groups:

● The 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 draft of the seventeenth edition of the State Drug Formulary;

● The multidisciplinary working group for the development of sectoral standards of medical care on the topic “Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental and Behavioral Disorders Resulting from Alcohol Use”;

● Meetings of mhGAP Initiative partners;

● Sessions of the National MHPSS TWG, initiated by WHO and partners;

● The strategic session of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine “Capacity Building for Supporting the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities”;

● Sessions of the Ministry of Social Policy’s working group on improving legislation for the development of the social service of supported living in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine’s order dated 06.10.2021 No. 1215‑r “On Approval of the Action Plan for 2021–2023 for the Implementation of the Concept for the Development of Mental Health Care in Ukraine until 2030” concerning the implementation and development of the provision of social services at the place of residence of individuals who require such services, in particular the supported living service for the elderly and persons with disabilities who have intellectual and/or mental disorders;

● Developed and conducted 2 two-day trainings “Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Children with Disabilities, Cognitive Impairments, and/or Developmental Delays” for 50 psychologists, social workers, and case managers of the International Rescue Committee in Ukraine. Twelve hours of supervisory support were provided.

Participation in the Organization and Conduct of Educational Events on Ensuring Human Rights in the Field of Mental Health
In cooperation with partners, joint events were planned and conducted for organizing psychiatric care for the population. The following events were held:

● A master class “Mental Health Awareness Month. What Is Mental Health?” in collaboration with the European Institute of Public Health Policy (EIPHP) and the Charitable Organization “Center for Mental Health and Trauma Therapy ‘Integration’” within the framework of the USAID “Building a Resilient Public Health System” project for medical workers;

● A seminar “Social and Psychological Aspects of Human Rights Violations in Social Institutions” for lecturers and students of Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University;

● A training “Monitoring of Non-State Social Service Providers” for specialists from the regional offices of the National Social Service of Ukraine;

● Three seminars for the staff of residential social protection institutions in the Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions:
– “Medical Support for Persons with Mental Disorders in Institutions in Accordance with Modern Standards of Psychiatric Care”;
– “Ensuring the Right of Residents of Residential Social Care Institutions to Psychiatric Care”;
– “Implementation of the Right of Residents to Psychiatric Care”.

● Specialized trainings by psychiatrists and neurologists from Taiwan, supported by the STUF fund, for doctors and psychologists of the Dnipro branch of “SZNPD”:
– “Practice in the Application of the HCR-20 V3 Scale for Assessing the Risk of Patients’ Propensity to Violence”;
– “Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Brain”;
– “Treatment of Dementia”;
– “Trauma-Focused Therapy”.

● Organized a series of trainings “Prevention of Professional Burnout” (Kyiv) and “First Psychological Aid” (Dnipro) for the staff of the Institute and the Dnipro branch of “SZNPD” within the framework of the PЗПСП project, aimed at strengthening resilience and empowering communities through socio-economic support, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Migration Agency, with financial support from the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance;

● Presented reports during the following events:
– Regional forum “Human Rights in Times of War: Cherkashchyna”;
– Round table of the NPM Department and the NGO “Ukraine without Torture” “Evolution of NPM: Best Practices and New Horizons”;
– Regional forum “Compliance with Human Rights in Institutional Facilities in the Chernihiv Region: Challenges and Successful Practices”.

● In cooperation with the International Medical Corps (IMC), specialists from the Institute conducted 12 trainings under the mhGAP program, during which training was provided to:
– 296 primary care doctors and nurses from health care facilities in the Volyn, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions, as well as in Kyiv.
– 111 psychologists from the National Police of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from 20 regions of Ukraine enhanced their qualifications on mental health issues during the trainings organized in cooperation between the Institute and the International Medical Corps.
– Supervisory support was provided to 296 medical workers from health care facilities who completed offline training on the course “Management of Common Mental Disorders at the Primary Health Care Level Using the mhGAP Guidelines” throughout 2024.

Improving the Qualifications of Institute Staff in Mental Health Issues
During 2024, staff participated in the following events to enhance their qualifications, knowledge, and skills:

● A five-day WHO “QualityRights” training on the evaluation of service quality in mental health care facilities, aimed at assessing and improving the quality of services in in