As part of the project, a cross-border group was set up to draw up common guidelines for the treatment of people with mental health problems between the ages of 18 and 35. The guidelines set out ways to deal with crisis situations and methodologies for the work and social reintegration of young people with mental health problems using therapeutic and rehabilitation projects, which include the involvement of social workers, general practitioners, educational and social institutions, NGOs and other providers. needs.

In the first phase of the project, an analysis of the treatment systems for people with mental health problems in Slovenia and Italy was prepared. It was necessary to understand, above all, if and how it is possible to design joint services for the treatment of Slovenian and Italian patients. The analysis identified the strengths and weaknesses of both treatments, on the basis of which the cross-border group developed a common model that could improve the quality and accessibility of cross-border mental health services.

In 2018, two study visits were organized to the Psychiatric Hospital Idrija and the Center for Mental Health in Gorizia, which were attended by members of the cross-border group, and in this way became even more familiar with the various systems, which allowed to together they were able to select the best practices of both spheres in the joint cross-border agreement “Guidelines for the Operational Implementation of Joint Mental Health Services” signed in December 2018.

Based on the cross-border agreement on guidelines and four-day training of the working group in the second half of 2019, the members of the working group prepared the Cross-Border Implementation Protocol for Acute Mental Health Cases, signed in September 2020 and has an internal crisis management protocol. cases by which the working group will be able to use the geographically closest regional reception services (CSM - Mental Health Centers) instead of the usual practices for active hospitalization in Slovenia.

As part of sensitization and acquaintance with the field of mental health, at the end of 2018 we organized cross-border training for providers who do not work in the field of mental health (police, first aid staff, municipal staff), but in their daily work encounter people with mental health problems. health. A language manual prepared by the working group with the aim of overcoming linguistic and cultural differences in the field of mental health was also presented at the event. You can download it here.

An important set of activities in the field of mental health includes individual health envelopes, which we started in March 2020. In December 2019, an implementation agreement was signed with an external contractor who provides individual health envelope services in an Italian-Slovenian partnership, which include a holistic approach to patient care. , in the context of social and employment rehabilitation and accommodation. Activities are in full swing, currently 9 Slovenian and 9 Italian users are involved, in the field of social and employment inclusion. Two of the mentioned users are also included in the axis of residence, which envisages the occupancy of users in a shared apartment and the establishment of a residential community. The two users moved into the housing unit in October 2020.

As part of mental health, the infrastructural arrangement of premises intended for the work of a joint cross-border group is also envisaged. The premises will be part of the mental health center on the ground floor of the Community Center in Nova Gorica. The works are proceeding according to plan and are expected to be completed in 2021. The arrangement of the premises is carried out by a joint public procurement of EGTC GO and the Municipality of Nova Gorica.