CAMHI event in Ioannina for the mental health of children in Epirus

In a packed hall with a highly successful event open to the public, CAMHI presented its work, challenges, and next steps in Ioannina, one of its five hub centres.

On Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 6 pm, the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) organized a community outreach event to introduce CAMHI's work in Ioannina. The event took place at the Cultural Multipurpose Hall "D. Hatzis". The attendance of the public exceeded all expectations, reaching 250 people - demonstrating in this way the awareness of the local community. The majority of these were teachers, mental health professionals as well as parents and ordinary citizens who wanted to get to know CAMHI's work and discuss the challenges they face in accessing children's mental health care.
The event, coordinated by CAMHI's Director and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr. Anastasia Koumoula, began with a welcome address by Thomas Yfantis, Professor of Psychiatry, Director of the Psychiatric Clinic of the University General Hospital of Ioannina (PAGNI), who referred to the outstanding contribution of CAMHI in providing services to children and families with a focus on the community, as well as its role within the network of mental health services in the region. Then, the Head of CAMHI's local hub centre, Konstantinos Kotsis, Assistant Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Department of Medicine of the University of Ioannina, and Head of the Community Mental Health Centre for Children and Adolescents at the Psychiatric Clinic of the PAGNI, introduced the work of CAMHI outlining its objectives, and its interventions in Epirus, with particular emphasis on its vision for science-based interventions and systematic and measurable results, as well as the importance of listening to the voice of the local community and children and adolescents themselves when designing such mental health programs.
Then, the floor was taken by a psychologist and trainer, a member of CAMHI's hub center in Ioannina, Andromachi Mitropoulou, who presented the innovative basic training programme "Child and Adolescent Mental Health Literacy" which aims to train professionals in the school community through "synchronous" -in-person and online, as well as "asynchronous" training options. One of the trainees, teacher Andromachi Papaefstathiou, shared her experience of the training, highlighting the importance for teachers to have access to appropriate tools, resources and support to be able to help create a safe and constructive environment at school for the benefit of children.
Next, Alexandra Tzotzi, Psychologist, trainer, and a CAMHI hub center member in Ioannina, presented the Advanced Training Program for Mental Health Professionals (child and adolescent psychiatrists & psychologists) which prioritizes the juvenile disorders that rank first in Greece, namely, anxiety, depression and behavioural problems by providing training in specific psychotherapeutic protocols.
The adolescent advisory team of the YES Youth Engagement Scheme in Ioannina was also included in the presentation, represented by YES' general coordinator, George Moschos, who described the work of the programme at the local level, noting that this year the group includes children who live outside the city and children living in child protection facilities. Mr Moschos highlighted that the main concern for YES -as last year- is to continuously and systematically feed CAMHI's programs with the views and suggestions of adolescents on how to improve the mental health care they receive.

The event concluded with a discussion with the audience and a networking dinner.

Some indicative features in the local press:

Epirotikos Agon: Ανοιχτή πρόσκληση στην ψυχική υγεία

Epirus Online: Οι προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν τα παιδιά και οι έφηβοι

Epirus Gate: Μεγάλη εκδήλωση για την Ψυχική Υγεία των παιδιών στα Γιάννενα

Neoi Agones Epirus: Εκδήλωση για την Ψυχική Υγεία των παιδιών και των εφήβων

ΙΤV News: Σοβαρά ζητήματα για το 12% των παιδιών και των εφήβων