Welcome to the EPA 2022 Interactive Programme 

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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as the new guidance on community mental health services recently published by the World Health Organization formulate clear goals for the future of psychiatry and psychosocial support. Innovative concepts of psychiatric care that focus on full participation, recovery-orientation and the prevention of coercion play an important role in achieving these goals. Implementing and scientifically evaluating the effects of such models in mental health services needs to be prioritized in national mental health planning and budgeting decisions.

In this lecture, Dr. Lieselotte Mahler will address the requirements of psychiatric concepts, specifically on acute psychiatric wards, to enable participation and prevent coercion. Using practical examples and evaluated models (e.g. Weddinger Modell, standardized post-coercion review sessions), she will make suggestions on how a psychiatry oriented towards human rights can also be implemented within existing clinical structures. Dr. Lieselotte Mahler will discuss, based on the current state of research as well as practical experience, which challenges exist with regard to patient autonomy and prevention of coercion in clinical practice and how these can be addressed from a human rights perspective.

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Functional recovery of subjects with schizophrenia remains an unmet need despite the availability of effective pharmacological and psychosocial treatments.

The focus of recovery-oriented approaches is on fostering hope and resilience, fighting self-stigma, supporting self-determination and promoting social inclusion.

The implementation of recovery-oriented plans requires an in depth understanding of key factors influencing real-life functioning, health status and quality of life.

Recently published data from the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses have provided evidence that baseline variables associated with functional outcome at follow-up included domains not routinely assessed and targeted by intervention programs in community mental health services.

As pointed out by experts in schizophrenia research and care, the management of subjects with schizophrenia has not significantly improved and only a minority of them receives integrated and personalized treatments.

Shared decision-making and integrated pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, tailored on subjects’ needs, might significantly improve the outcome of subjects with schizophrenia, supporting independent living and inclusion in the community.