The Provision of Psychiatric Care in Romania – Need for Change or Change of Needs?

Abstract

The reform of the mental health systemin Europe takes place under the umbrella ofdeinstitutionalization, development of alternativecommunity services, integration of health servicesand integration with social services (Beckerand Vázquez-Barquero, 2001). Current articlediscusses the reform of the mental health systemin Romania by using the results of two studies.The goal was to draw an overview of the reformprocesses in Romania in the last few years byanalysing in parallel the actual status of mentalhealth inpatient and community services. One studywas conducted in 2007-2008 where a diagnosis ofpsychiatric hospitals and psychiatric inpatient unitsin general hospitals took place. The second studyconducted in 2006 addressed the developmentof community mental health services. The resultsshow that developing a strategic approach forchange at system level is most urgently needed.This should be characterised by a clear vision atdecision making level, by coupling of responsibilitiesfor reform with the resources needed to conductchange, and by cooperation among the involvedinstitutional stakeholders.