Both disability hate crime and institutional violence are major violations of the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. This article aims to discuss both forms of violence in the context of deinstitutionalization of care in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe1 and the prevailing high rates of discriminatory attitudes in this region.This paper follows a contextualized approach toward discrimination and invokes predominant attitudes in the societies of the region as one particular aspect of the general context. This approach helps to estimate the potential threats for residents of social care institutions to experience hate crime in the community.Residential care institutions are criticized for high rates of institutional violence; nevertheless, the transfer of residents to community care may expose them to hate crimes in the community. This aspect of deinstitutionalization neither appears on the public and political agenda, nor is it being analyzed by academia in the region. This paper draws attention to important consequences of deinstitutionalization, which possibly have been overlooked by the promoters of deinstitutionalization as well as by the disability policy makers in the region. This composes the originality and practical value of the paper.
Both disability hate crime and institutional violence are major violations of the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. This article aims to discuss both forms of violence in the context of deinstitutionalization of care in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe1 and the prevailing high rates of discriminatory attitudes in this region.This paper follows a contextualized approach toward discrimination and invokes predominant attitudes in the societies of the region as one particular aspect of the general context. This approach helps to estimate the potential threats for residents of social care institutions to experience hate crime in the community.Residential care institutions are criticized for high rates of institutional violence; nevertheless, the transfer of residents to community care may expose them to hate crimes in the community. This aspect of deinstitutionalization neither appears on the public and political agenda, nor is it being analyzed by academia in the region. This paper draws attention to important consequences of deinstitutionalization, which possibly have been overlooked by the promoters of deinstitutionalization as well as by the disability policy makers in the region. This composes the originality and practical value of the paper.
Abstract. Both disability hate crime and institutional violence are major violations of the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. This article aims to discuss both forms of violence in the context of deinstitutionalization of care in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe1 and the prevailing high rates of discriminatory attitudes in this region. This paper follows a contextualized approach toward discrimination and invokes predominant attitudes in the societies of the region as one particular aspect of the general context. This approach helps to estimate the potential threats for residents of social care institutions to experience hate crime in the community. Residential care institutions are criticized for high rates of institutional violence; nevertheless, the transfer of residents to community care may expose them to hate crimes in the community. This aspect of deinstitutionalization neither appears on the public and political agenda, nor is it being analyzed by academia in the region. This paper draws attention to important consequences of deinstitutionalization, which possibly have been overlooked by the promoters of deinstitutionalization as well as by the disability policy makers in the region. This composes the originality and practical value of the paper.
Abstract. Both disability hate crime and institutional violence are major violations of the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. This article aims to discuss both forms of violence in the context of deinstitutionalization of care in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe1 and the prevailing high rates of discriminatory attitudes in this region. This paper follows a contextualized approach toward discrimination and invokes predominant attitudes in the societies of the region as one particular aspect of the general context. This approach helps to estimate the potential threats for residents of social care institutions to experience hate crime in the community. Residential care institutions are criticized for high rates of institutional violence; nevertheless, the transfer of residents to community care may expose them to hate crimes in the community. This aspect of deinstitutionalization neither appears on the public and political agenda, nor is it being analyzed by academia in the region. This paper draws attention to important consequences of deinstitutionalization, which possibly have been overlooked by the promoters of deinstitutionalization as well as by the disability policy makers in the region. This composes the originality and practical value of the paper.
SummaryThe article employs the institutional theory to examine the influence of institutional environments on the structure and function of mental health and social care organizations as well as their resistance to the reform. On the basis of statistical data collected by responsible organizations, the dynamics of mental health and social care organizations' practice, changes in the numbers of clients and employees are analysed. These alterations allow evaluating the status quo and actual direction of the mental health care reform. The usual institutional response to deinstitutionalization is the modification of activities by introducing new services which respond to the emerging requirements. Nevertheless, these are minimal changes since they do not influence the size of an institution and the principles of its work. Innovative attitudes and organisational goals are of declarative character as they do not correspond to the poor institutional reality.Key words: institutional theory, deinstitutionalisation, mental health and social care
There have been a lot of interest in social economics development in Europe, and social business has stood out for its social impact, having a potential approach to such societal problems as social exclusion, poverty, unemployment. The creation of social capital and social entrepreneurship are related by positive social change and economic benefits, which are achieved through personal and community bonding, innovation, and social initiatives. Social business has stood out for its social impact, having a potential approach to such societal problems as social exclusion, poverty, unemployment. The aim of the present article is to reveal social entrepreneurship impact on building social capital in Lithuanian communities. For this reason, a qualitative study was conducted based on social business activities related to community change, as well as identifying the interrelations between social business and social capital. This article introduces the theoretical approach of concepts social capital and community, followed by discussion of social business benefits and impact on the growth of community's social capital. The results of the analysis of the research data were analytically coded based on grounded theory methodology and reveals the potential and perspective of social business in creating social change in the community following by building new relationships, trust and values, and new norms for community development. The positive changes initiated by social business are relevant to the goals of social work and reveal the need of further research in this field.
Lietuvoje dabar vykstanti pertvarka yra didelis iššūkis sovietmečiu sukurtai ir iki šiol veikiančiai stacionarios globos sistemai. Nepaisant kritikos dėl žmogaus teisių pažeidimų ir neracionalaus išteklių naudojimo, stacionarios globos paslaugos dažniausiai yra vienintelė alternatyva ilgalaikės globos reikalingiems psichosocialinę negalią ar intelekto sutrikimą turintiems asmenims. Pasitelkus institucionalizmo teoriją, straipsnyje nagrinėjamas sistemos pasipriešinimas pokyčiams ir daromos išvados, kad globos įstaigos siekia išlaikyti turimą galią ir šiam tikslui pasitelkia finansinius, žmogiškuosius ir techninius išteklius, konjunktūrinius ryšius. Taip pat matomas ydingas globos įstaigų funkcionavimo ratas: būtinybė izoliuoti negalią turinčius asmenis argumentuojama jų nesavarankiškumu ir tolerancijos stoka visuomenėje, kartu pačių įstaigų veikla atskiria globos reikalingus asmenis ir slopina jų savarankiškumą.
Goal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellecrual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residentiai institutions was to take physical care after individuais with mental and intellectual disabilities as weil as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong. Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health poliey and services.
Goal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellecrual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residentiai institutions was to take physical care after individuais with mental and intellectual disabilities as weil as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong. Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health poliey and services.
Vilniaus universiteto Medicinos fakulteto Psichiatrijos klinikaVasaros g. 5, tel. (+370 5) 261 10 43. El. paštas: dainius.puras@gmail.comVilniaus universiteto Filosofijos fakulteto Socialinio darbo katedraUniversiteto g. 9/1, Tel. (+370 5) 266 76 10. El. paštas: egle.sumskiene@gmail.com Straipsnyje nagrinėjama sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų globa didelėse uždarose stacionariose globos įstaigose. Iki Sovietų Sąjungos žlugimo šios įstaigos ne tik globojo, bet ir izoliavo sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto individus. Tvirtas šių įstaigų pozicijas to meto socialinės apsaugos sistemoje lėmė ideologinės priežastys, dominuojantis defektologijos mokslas, sukurta materialinė ir teisinė bazė, neigiamas visuomenės nusistatymas sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų atžvilgiu. Žlugus Sovietų Sąjungai, stacionarios globos sistema pasirodė esanti ypač atspari permainoms – ji ne tik atsilaikė prieš bandymus veiksmingai transformuoti, bet ir sulaukė investicijų iš Europos Sąjungos fondų. Atkūrus Nepriklausomybę įvykusios permainos – darbuotojų mokymai, pastatų rekonstrukcija, paslaugų įvairovės didinimas – neatnešė institucinės kultūros, atskirties tradicijos permainų ir tik sustiprino stacionarios globos institucijų padėtį.Tai sudarė prielaidas Lietuvoje susiformuoti unikaliam sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų globos būdui, kurį galima įvardyti kaip visuomenės ir valstybės raidai nepalankią ydingo sovietinio paveldo ir atsirinktų ES paramos bei vertybių kombinaciją.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: stacionari globa, psichikos ir intelekto sutrikimai, Europos Sąjunga, ideologija.Care for persons with memental disability:dependency on inherited culture of srevicesDainius Pūras, Eglė Šumskienė SummaryGoal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residential institutions was to take physical care after individuals with mental and intellectual disabilities as well as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong.Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health policy and services.Key words: residential care, intellectual and mental disabilities, European Union, ideology.
Goal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellecrual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residentiai institutions was to take physical care after individuais with mental and intellectual disabilities as weil as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong. Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health poliey and services.
Goal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellecrual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residentiai institutions was to take physical care after individuais with mental and intellectual disabilities as weil as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong. Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health poliey and services.
Vilniaus universiteto Medicinos fakulteto Psichiatrijos klinikaVasaros g. 5, tel. (+370 5) 261 10 43. El. paštas: dainius.puras@gmail.comVilniaus universiteto Filosofijos fakulteto Socialinio darbo katedraUniversiteto g. 9/1, Tel. (+370 5) 266 76 10. El. paštas: egle.sumskiene@gmail.com Straipsnyje nagrinėjama sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų globa didelėse uždarose stacionariose globos įstaigose. Iki Sovietų Sąjungos žlugimo šios įstaigos ne tik globojo, bet ir izoliavo sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto individus. Tvirtas šių įstaigų pozicijas to meto socialinės apsaugos sistemoje lėmė ideologinės priežastys, dominuojantis defektologijos mokslas, sukurta materialinė ir teisinė bazė, neigiamas visuomenės nusistatymas sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų atžvilgiu. Žlugus Sovietų Sąjungai, stacionarios globos sistema pasirodė esanti ypač atspari permainoms – ji ne tik atsilaikė prieš bandymus veiksmingai transformuoti, bet ir sulaukė investicijų iš Europos Sąjungos fondų. Atkūrus Nepriklausomybę įvykusios permainos – darbuotojų mokymai, pastatų rekonstrukcija, paslaugų įvairovės didinimas – neatnešė institucinės kultūros, atskirties tradicijos permainų ir tik sustiprino stacionarios globos institucijų padėtį.Tai sudarė prielaidas Lietuvoje susiformuoti unikaliam sutrikusios psichikos ir sutrikusio intelekto asmenų globos būdui, kurį galima įvardyti kaip visuomenės ir valstybės raidai nepalankią ydingo sovietinio paveldo ir atsirinktų ES paramos bei vertybių kombinaciją.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: stacionari globa, psichikos ir intelekto sutrikimai, Europos Sąjunga, ideologija.Care for persons with memental disability: dependency on inherited culture of srevicesDainius Pūras, Eglė Šumskienė SummaryGoal of this article is to identify main obstacles while transforming Lithuanian system of residential care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities from repressive and isolating Soviet tradition to individualised community care. During the Soviet times the goal of large residential institutions was to take physical care after individuals with mental and intellectual disabilities as well as to isolate them from the rest of the society. These institutions were deeply anchored in the Soviet system of social assistance, based on the principles of defectology and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental health problems. After collapse of the Soviet Union this system appeared to be eminently resistant to reforms: it withstood attempts of transformation and even managed to receive investments from the European Union structural funds thus strengthening the positions of large residential institutions over modern community care. More than two decades of investments in training of staff, reconstruction of buildings, modernisation of services and other components of mental health services in Lithuania have not resulted in the change of paradigm, as institutional culture and tradition of exclusion remains still very strong.Thus, current system of care for persons with mental and intellectual disabilities in Lithuania can be defined as a combination of strong effects of former Soviet system and selectively chosen components of modern mental health policy and services.Key words: residential care, intellectual and mental disabilities, European Union, ideology.
This research is one of the components of the project funded by European Commission "Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Enlarged European Union: Development of Effective Policies and Practices" (CAMHEE). Survey of the situation that occur in the families in which parents are placed into psychiatric residential homes due to mental illness, showed that development and implementation of effective parenting programs (as well as other community-based services for families at risk) might become an effective alternative to currently prevailing stigmatizing and paternalistic approach, including the concept of "bad" (incompetent) parents and their institutionalization. Based on the review and analysis of the situations in residential psychiatric care homes, one could observe that relations of the family members with residents of care homes and dynamics of these relations are greatly influenced by specifics of Lithuanian mental health and social care systems, historically developed stereotypes, public attitudes to mentally ill persons and information which is communicated to general public. It should be noted that the tradition dating back to Soviet-era ideology - that mentally ill persons need to be separated from family, community and society, is still strong.
This research is one of the components of the project funded by European Commission "Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Enlarged European Union: Development of Effective Policies and Practices " (CAMHEE). Survey of the situation that occur in the families in which parents are placed into psychiatric residential homes due to mental illness, showed that development and implementation of effective parenting programs (as well as other community-based services for families at risk) might become an effective alternative to currently prevailing stigmatizing and paternalistic approach, including the concept of "bad" (incompetent) parents and their institutionalization. Based on the review and analysis of the situations in residential psychiatric care homes, one could observe that relations of the family members with residents of care homes and dynamics of these relations are greatly influenced by specifics of Lithuanian mental health and social care systems, historically developed stereotypes, public attitudes to mentally ill persons and information which is communicated to general public. It should be noted that the tradition dating back to Soviet-era ideology - that mentally ill persons need to be separated from family, community and society, is still strong.