Member Spotlight February 2018

Fokus Praha in a few lines?

• We know that everyone may experience mental ill health at some point in their lifetime. 
• We believe that recovery is possible!
• We help people with mental ill health finding their own way to satisfaction, dignity and fulfilling life.

Fokus Praha supports people experiencing long-term mental health problems in Czech Republic. The range and diversity of our services is unique in the country.

What are your main activities?

We offer social and medical services in five centers in Prague and one in the town of Mělník.  Our services are provided by professionals experienced in different fields such as social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, peer workers.

The core of our work is in the community – we visit our clients in their homes, accompany them when visiting public service offices, but also cafés and other public places. We also help people with mental health issues in finding housing and employment. We offer leisure activities in clubs and workshops. We are there to offer support when help is needed.

Pavel 40 years old

‘I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when I was 18. I was hospitalised in the psychiatric hospital several times, last time for more than 2 years. Now I meet with my “case manager” twice a week, he accompanies me to yoga lessons, helps me maintain my part-time job and manage my finances. Thanks to this support I have not been hospitalised for the past three years. Thanks to Fokus, I can finally live a normal life.

We provide education for professionals, general public and people experiencing mental health problems.

We also run social enterprises – Jůnův statek (guesthouse), Prádelna (laundry) and Zahrada (gardening company), Rukodělná (handcraft workshop), Czech Galeries (guide to art exibitions). Our social enterprises are engaged in business activities in the regular market.

What are your priorities?

We take active part in the process of transformation of psychiatric care in the Czech Republic that aims at shifting to a multidisciplinary and community-based system. (The current psychiatric care system is still based on hospitals, the biggest of them having more than 1000 beds).

In line with this reform we establish community Mental health centres.

We focus on recovery and support the strengths of our clients.

Where can we hear from you?

• Our website

www.fokus-praha.cz

• Social media

   https://www.facebook.com/Fokus.Praha

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikPwEKzM186PIYcFKSBgNA