Community Based Mental Health Care in Bosnia and Herzegovina – an Overview of the Last Six Years

Abstract

Introduction

Mental health care in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) is changing and shows the new trends more than 20 years. In last 6 years is established strong network of community mental health centers (CMHC) as a most important service in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of mental illnesses.

Objectives

Project of mental health in BH (PMH) is the largest reform project, supported by the Swiss Government and it is planned to be implemented in whole BH emphasizing importance of community mental health care and putting patients in the focus of the reform.

Aims and method

To show positive trends and practices in BH as well as obstacles in some fields of the reform.

Results

For the last six years are made positive national mental health policies, established case management model in work with people with severe mental disorders, broad spectrum of services recognized by health insurance (validation of the work for all team members), user initiatives (organization), active role of primary mental health care, reduction of hospitalization, etc. On the other way, yet are not established protected housing, early interventions services and universal methodology or team structure in all CMHC.

Conclusions

Community based mental health care shown as a good choice in the reform of the mental health in BH, confirming positive results from other countries. That is a reason to continue with improvements based on daily practices of the teams in CMHC.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.