Psychiatric rehabilitation for young adults in Geneva, challenges and new perspectives
Poster B126, Friday, October 21, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Milana Rasic1, Logos Curtis1; 1Geneva University Hospitals
Four years ago in Geneva, a psychiatric rehabilitation unit was created ("Unité d’Intégration Communautaire"), designed for young adults aged 18 to 20 years requiring sustained psychiatric care and support for psychosocial reintegration such as commencing an educational/vocational training, finding a job or finding housing. This structure includes an 8-bed inpatient unit as well as an outpatient program for about 20 patients, all located in a house in the city center. Patients participate in community life and benefit from individual psychiatric care, therapeutic groups with indoor and outdoor activities, vocational and housing support. The length of hospitalization is usually up to 3 months, followed by a flexible outpatient follow up during which young people continue to benefit from the different therapeutic activities offered by the unit and finalize their projects. Initially envisioned for young people suffering solely form clinically stabilized psychosis, the unit has adapted to suit the needs of the Geneva population and has evolved into a broader service, offering care to a more heterogeneous population, including young people with severe anxiety disorders, personality disorders and comorbidities such as substance abuse. Furthermore, the unit has progressively started to welcome patients in different phases of their mental illness including those who require acute care and crisis intervention. We identify some challenges resulting from this evolving situation (i.e Is the initial group program still adapted for an heterogeneous population?) and debate on the alternatives that can be taken into account to provide an adequate care to the patients needs and demands.
Topic Area: Psychosocial Interventions