Scientific Documentation and Educational Department(SDED)

The Scientific Documentation and Educational Department was established at the beginning of 2014 and located in Athens. Its main purpose is to plan and implement Research Programmes and activities of Scientific Documentation closely related to mental health and special education and Educational Programs for professionals and experts on Mental Health and Special Education. Since 2015, 538 mental health professionals, health specialists, as well as educators and parents of people with ASD were trained for a total of 328 training hours by Scientific Documentation and Education Department. Moreover, there were 5.580 hours of research activity in the 7 projects that the Department has designed and implemented.

Education

Educational Programs completed during 2015-2016.

“Therapy and rehabilitation of Autism Spectrum Disorders of Medium and Low Functionality”- Education through clinic training-1st Course.

The program has been successfully implemented from May until June 2016. It included 30 hours of theoretical Education, 130 hours of Practice training and 12 hours of personal supervision. It is the only program which combines theoretical Education, Practice Training and supervision at the same time.

“Psychotherapy of Social and Emotional Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders of Medium and Low Functionality” 1st Course.

It was conducted from November 2015 until June 2016 and was composed of 9 meetings of theoretical education. The programme introduced the participants to the basic concepts of psychotherapy of Social and Emotional Development for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders of Medium and High Functionality.

Child and Adolescents’ Center has trained in its institutions, more than 100 young Mental Health professionals in the last 8years. Many of them were later employed at the Center or at other Mental Health Institutions.

The Scientific Documentation and Educational Department plans, organizes supports and implements Educational Programmes for the professionals of Mental Health and Special Education. Additionally it promotes the clinical experience and the innovative methods at the Center and makes the most of its long experience in the Education of young professionals, (volunteers and trainers), taking into consideration not only the needs of the trainers , but also the widest field of Mental Health and Special Education. Moreover, it supports the educational strategy of the organization and “explores” the possibilities of co-operation with other educational institutions.

Scientific Documentation and Research Department

Child and Adolescents’ Center during the 20 years of its operation has presented an important scientific and research work. The Scientific Documentation and Educational Department in direct co-operation with all the other Institutions of Child and Adolescents’ Center, promotes research activity and Scientific Documentation.

It detects and suggests the implementation of research programmes, through the promotion and development of the clinical experience of the Center. It explores the possibilities of developing future co-operations with other Scientific Institutions and with the academic community, in order to promote the scientific profile of Child and Adolescents’ Center and seeks for new funds by enhancing extroversion.

Autismap.gr

Research Programmes

Available facilities in Greece for individuals with ASD

People diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders, have difficulties in social interaction and in both verbal and non verbal communication. These difficulties change significantly according to the age of the person and as a result this causes a number of different needs not only for them but for their families as well. In order to meet and fulfill these needs, it is necessary to have a quantitative and qualitative adequacy of suitable Health, Education and Social Care Institutions.

The programme’s purpose is to a) record and describe the existing institutions/services and low regulations for people with ASD in Greece. b) Create a database with all the existing institutions/.services in every regional unit and district, accessible to any potential benefiter in need of their services or to professionals of health, mental health, educators, researchers and generally to anyone interested in these, so that a website can be created for the presentation of the institutions in every district and district unit in order to assess the quantitative and qualitative adequacy of the institutions and their services available for people with ASD.

The programme started in 2013 and is currently at the stage of the final data processing and analyzing. A questionnaire was used in order to collect the information of every institution. The questionnaire was planned according to the needs of the research and was sent to about 1500 Institutions in Greece.

Satisfaction scale of the benefiters of the Child and Adolescents’ Center and their families

Child and Adolescent’s Center has been developing and offering mental health services for the last 20 years On the whole, it has served in its institutions in Chios and Attica, about 5000 families.

According to the international bibliography, it is proved that the participation of the benefiters and their families is extremely important in order to improve the Mental health services provided. Child and Adolescent’s Center, having as main priority the improvement of the services provided, makes the first steps in calculating the Satisfaction Scale of the users of its services and their families as well.

The target of the Programme is to calculate the satisfaction scale of the users and their families and to record their opinions and suggestions so as to improve the quality of the Mental Health services provided and to plan suitable interventions in order to meet the requests of the users and their families.

The planning of the Programme has been completed and its implementation took place between October and December 2016. The Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS) questionnaire, which has been translated into greek and has been calculated in Greece by the University of Ioannina (Medical School, Social Medical and Mental Health Department), will be used in order to estimate the satisfaction scale. The study for the recording of the satisfaction scale will be repeated periodically, so as to ensure the continual participation of the users and the improvement of the services provided.

valuation of the ability to perform the skills, acquired within the framework of Social and Emotional Development Psychotherapy , at home

The psychotherapeutic approach of the difficulties that people with Autism Spectrum Disorders have is part of managing these difficulties as a whole, especially for people with autism of medium and high functionality. At Child and Adolescent’s Center, during the last 10 years, we have been developing and evolving systematically, through our clinical psychotherapeutic practice with people with ASD of medium and high functionality, the Psychotherapy of Social and Emotional Development.

Within the frameworks of Psychotherapy of Social and Emotional Development skills connected with social communication and emotions managing are developed among others. The aim is to expand these skills in other environments (backgrounds), out of the therapeutic framework as well.

The target of the programme foresees the collection of information through a questionnaire, which is filled in by one of both parents. It has already been implemented in 4 Mental Health institutions and is going to the expanded at Child and Adolescent’s Center in October. The planning for the implementation of the programme at Child and Adolescent’s Center has been completed. The questionnaires will be given at the beginning of the therapy or at the beginning of the therapeutic period and after 9-11 months.

Psychiatric Morbidity and low offending behaviors / Detecting and facing psychiatric disorders in minors and young adults in prison / court custody

According to the bibliography and the data of the World Health Organization, prisoners tend to develop more often than other people mental health problems, before and during their imprisonment. Mental health conditions, such as depression, personality disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders especially of low and medium functionality and A.D.H.D, have been described as closely related to low offending behaviors in adolescents and young adults.

Child and Adolescent’s Center has a long experience of co-operation with the police and the court authorities, presenting the special features of people with psychiatric disorders who have broken the law, supporting the fulfilling of their needs and preventing secondary disorders. At the same time, we are aware of the fact that the existence of these needs is frequently underestimated or mainly becomes unnoticed in prisons or other correctional institutions, which has a negative effect on the development of these people.

The aim of this Programme is to evaluate the frequency of certain disorders among underage/young Adults who are imprisoned or under Court Custody and make the Court, Police and Social Authorities more sensitive to the special features and needs of people with these particular disorders, so as to plan and implement intervention actions, in order to support them and contribute to the prevention of a low-breaking behavior relapse, having always in mind the social and financial benefit.

The Programme is at the initial stage of planning, expanding of the research team, completing the bibliographical research an developing co-operations with institutes and people who are involved in managing Mental Morbidity and low-offending cases. The Programme will be submitted for financing in order to be implemented.

S.D.E.D.