The contribution of the Institute of Mental Health for Children & Adults to theoretical developments and methodological treatment is a key objective of the institution, along with the purely clinical work, since the first day of operation.
With an uninterrupted presence and participation in every scientific conference in the country and in several abroad, with the annual organization of conferences, specialized seminars and training workshops, the associates of the IMHCA have contributed consistently and with dedication to the scientific development of mental health services in Greece.
Education programs for the community constitute an integral part of the Institute’s social intervention efforts. Inspired and guided by the principles of social psychiatry, IMHCA associates, in every prefecture of Greece, consider the mobilization of social forces to understand the specific nature of mental illness, to combat the dominant portrayals of mental illness (the stigmatization and exclusion of individuals with mental illness) and to promote the active participation of citizens in the activities of psychosocial rehabilitation and social reintegration of the mentally ill. IMHCA associates have contributed significantly to the long history of psychiatric reform in the country by making regular visits and contributions to educational and work facilities of the community, by constantly motivating local authorities to participate in mental health service programs accessible to all citizens, by producing regular articles on the needs of the community regarding mental health issues, publishing and distributing material for promoting awareness within the population about the importance of prevention and concrete social solidarity.
The philosophy and practice of the IMHCA associates, their theoretical treatment, research and social interventions were and still are inextricably tied to the demand for community awareness on mental health issues. They constitute a prerequisite and a necessity in order to ensure the continuing care of people with mental health problems within a conscious and solidary society.