Fourni Korseon: CAMHI's visit to a tiny island complex in the Eastern Aegean

As part of its collaboration with the Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) of "Regeneration & Progress", the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) visited Fourni Korseon from 5 to 8 September 2026. The visit was based at the island's Town Hall, which had been made available to host the MMU clinics.

Fourni Korseon, a small island complex in the Eastern Aegean centred on the island of Fourni, has complete educational facilities, from kindergarten to upper secondary school. Yet it faces the chronic difficulties that characterise many remote frontier communities: a declining population, high turnover among substitute teachers, and an almost total absence of specialised health services. The visit was prepared in advance through contact with teachers at all levels of education on the island and with the rural doctor of the Fourni Regional Clinic.

CAMHI Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist Efi Kapsimalli presents the training programmes for school staff at the Fourni Junior High School.

Meetings in the field

At the Junior High School with Upper Secondary Classes of Fourni, CAMHI met with 12 teachers on Tuesday 8 September. The team presented the Initiative and its "Mental Health Literacy" training programme for school staff, followed by an open discussion that focused on communication between school and family.

At the Fourni Regional Clinic, CAMHI met with the rural doctor and the clinic's nurse and presented the training programme "Screening for Mental Health Problems in Children & Adolescents", which is intended for paediatricians, general/family doctors and rural doctors.

At the Fourni Kindergarten and Primary School, in a joint meeting with the Primary School of Thymaina on Monday 7 September, 11 teachers learned about CAMHI and the "Mental Health Literacy" programme. Notably, two of the teachers had already completed the training and shared their experience with their colleagues, speaking enthusiastically about the content of the asynchronous, self-paced course.

Top left: medical and nursing staff of Fourni. Top right: teachers at the school of Fourni. Bottom left: the Multipurpose Regional Clinic. Centre: the enchanting landscapes of the island complex.

Challenges and needs of the community

The visit highlighted the distinctive reality of a very small, remote island. This year, one of the area's three primary schools was suspended for lack of pupils, while the primary school on neighbouring Thymena is running with only two children. Meanwhile, enrolment at Fournoi's primary school has risen slightly, mainly because several of the teachers who come to serve on the island bring their own children with them.

The vast majority of teachers are substitutes, who have either just arrived on the island or are expected to leave soon. The discussions raised the question of continuity of care for pupils identified as facing difficulties, and of how CAMHI's programme could help in this respect despite the constant turnover of staff.

As on other remote islands, the shortage of mental health services and professionals, in both the public and private sectors, makes referral after a positive screening considerably harder. Handling child protection issues in such a small community also requires particular care, while the absence of specialists such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists means that assessments and diagnoses often cannot be followed by further intervention.

At the same time, the visit brought out several factors that support the community's wellbeing: life in a natural environment allows children to play freely and more safely, tourism development on the island remains moderate, the community stays vibrant all year round, and the municipal authority is consistently present and attentive to its residents.

The Mobile Medical Units on the island of Fourni

The response of the local community

Teachers and health staff welcomed CAMHI warmly. Being physically present in the field allowed a better understanding of the real needs of a very small island community, where geographical isolation combines with a pronounced lack of support services. During the visit, meeting participants also provided written feedback.

CAMHI's joint presence with the MMUs is another step towards equal access to mental health prevention and care for children and adolescents, regardless of where they live.

See all our activities with the Mobile Medical Units here.

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) program is developed and implemented by a nationwide network of public-sector mental health organizations and professionals, in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute (New York) and with the support of the Ministry of Health. CAMHI is supported exclusively by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of the SNF's Global Health Initiative (GHI).
The Mobile Medical Units (MMU) are an initiative undertaken by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) in collaboration with the Health Units S.A. (AEMY S.A.), within the framework of the National Primary Health Care Program, implemented by Regeneration & Progress under the scientific supervision of the 1st Orthopedic Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.