African Mental Health Awareness & care AMHACI Initiative NIGERIA For us, Mental Health is about sowing seeds of hope everywhere.
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The African Mental Health Awareness & Care Initiative NIGERIA is a proud member of T HE I NTERNATIONAL M ENTAL H EALTH S TANDARDS B OARD . T HE IMHSB IS THE PROUD SPONSOR OF CONSEIL NATIONAL D’AGREMENT EN SANTÉ MENTALE DE FRANCE CENTRE DE SERVICES PROFESSIONNELS EN SANTE MENTALE DU CAMEROUN AFRICAN MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS & CARE INITIATIVE - NIGERIA 3
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Table of content Introduction …………………………………………………………… . Page 5 Our Organisation Our story…………………………….. . ………………………………… page 8 Mission…………………………………………………………………… page 9 Objectives………………………………………………………………. page 10 Values………..…………………………………………………………… page 11 Members of the board…………………………………………. Page 12 Our services A dvocacy…….………………………………………………………… page 16 Accreditation … .. ……………………………………………………. page 18 Training………..……………………………………………………….. page 20 Support………………………………………………………………….. page 22 A Little more What’s mental health again?………………………… . …… page 24 Questions and Answers………………………………….…… page 24 Our Last words Thank You……………………………………………………………… page 26 5
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Introduction Don’t we As much as it is not very difficult to find people agreeing with the importance of mental health, most of mental health organisations and institutions are battling in the middle of a “no man’s land” to get the recognition for appropriate funding, when most of the time, funding is nowhere to be found. African countries are taking lightly the know that fact that in the absence of serious commitment with clear legislature to enhance good mental health and to provide ethical and high-quality services, there won’t be any sustainable development. A continent with the greatest potential but failing in its capacity to overcome everything corruption, terror, conflicts, wars, violence and gender abuse. Not related to mental health? We should think twice before answering. Emergence capacity is closely related to the capacity of looking at the reality as it is, not what is accommodating the image or the popularity . We can’t change reality if we can’t face it. Unfortunately, lies stand well among a lot of political leaders and they prefer abandoning mental health we think to psychiatry and clean their hands of any subsequent responsibility. But soon, mental health problems will be the second most spread non-communicable illnesses in Africa. Who will be then able to engage in economic growth? Mental health is not about psychiatry, far from it. Serious psychiatric diagnoses and do affect only 10-12% of the population. What are we doing for the other 85-90% who may suffer in silence? They may develop more serious conditions with time or they may as well, turn psychological pain into a need for revenge or payback. The sense of unfairness lives into each one of us but when we don’t have constructive alternatives to handle this, we become destructive to ourselves or others, or worse, starts in we are destructive toward ourselves and others. So, what do we do? Because we know that mental health is still victim of so much stigmatization, misperceptions and ignorance, we know there is still so much work to do. The AMHACI was created to advocate our head? and support governments, NGOs’, organizations , businesses and corporations willing to engage in bettering the conditions of life for everyone and everywhere in Africa. Because we know the benefits, and because we love building bridges. Do you? Join us in supporting our actions. AMHACI Board Members 7
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Our story … The AMHACI is about one thing . . . EMPOWERING people. The AMHACI was born in December 2017, out of a humanitarian experience in the north east of Nigeria, where vulnerability cohabit with trauma, fear of terror and a lot of denial. The perfect combination to uphold the endless cycle of violence. As a small group of three people crazy enough but fully passionate about mental health, we were looking at doing more of what we were doing already. We put ideas to action by founding an international NGO, based in Nigeria. Although coming from various backgrounds but with the same strong will and desire to make a difference, we knew already there was one common ground we all agreed on. Mental Health is the most important key element to development and peace. But we also agreed on another important issue. To succeed in this venture, we must do things differently from others. Today, with the support of the IMHSB we have a solid expertise, a credible reference and we look forward in contributing to a better world by advocating, by engaging actions in improving living conditions and supporting governments in designing mental health legislation in Nigeria and other African countries. 9
Mission To inspire and empower people, governments, institutions, corporations and organizations for positive change through mental health advocacy and support. 10
OBJECTIVES The promotion of better mental and social health; The improvement of the quality of professional life; An ethical support for medical and paramedical personnel; A high standard humanitarian intervention toward the most vulnerable; A guidance to mental health institutions in improving quality of services. 11
How it works • By meeting standards ✓ AMHACI Nigeria is a regulating body and uses standards in compliance with the International Mental Health Standards Board (IMHSB). ✓ These standards are specifically designed to meet the particularities of different professional environments and contexts. ✓ All activities engaged by the organisation must refer to these standards to meet the objectives and always guarantee the highest quality of service. • By creating strong partnerships ✓ AMHACI Nigeria has for purpose to build bridges with everyone. To do so, partnerships are crucial to fill its mission and meet the objectives. ✓ R EDUCING STIGMATIZATION ; ✓ We are eager to establish constructive collaboration with every level of ✓ B UILDING CLINICAL & INTERVENTION governments, institutions, corporations and organisations because it is part of our enrichment. CAPACITIES ; ✓ We feel that the best success stories come from collective will and actions. ✓ E NGAGING TOWARD MANAGERIAL BEST PRACTICES ; • By ensuring sustainability ✓ S UPPORTING HUMAN POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ; ✓ D ECREASING SIGNIFICANTLY ✓ AMHACI Nigeria has also adopted the 4 sustainable principles of the IMHSB. PROFESSIONAL STRESS ; These principles focus on the importance of efficiency and capacity building. ✓ I MPROVING LIVING & WORKING ✓ Sustainability is about the footprint left by our actions in the short term as much CONDITIONS ; as in the long-term. This forces us to ensure that everything we do, every activity we deploy must be part of a global vision already known. I NCREASING QUALITY OF LIFE AND ✓ Empowerment and self-awareness are perfectly in line with sustainability. DEVELOPING HEALTHIER BEHAVIOURS . 12
Values Empathy is about considering others with humanism and sensitivity, respect • Empathy for the dignity of the person and respect of differences without judgment. All this, with authenticity and the understanding that we are all imperfect and equal beings. Humility, the need to question ourselves, the importance to doubt, to avoid pretention, • Humility certitudes. The right to make mistakes & the The Mental Health Values are not right to correct them with the admission that life is a process of continuous learning just selected words we put on a list where others are essential to our individual and collective enrichment. to look good. Integrity focuses on honesty and both They are defining • Integrity personal and professional ethics. It is a commitment to act with equity, justice the state of mind we must hold and rectitude. Crucial to create a climate of confidence, integrity must inspire our toward oneself and others always. way of being with oneself and others. They should continuously Excellence, a commitment based on • Excellence effort discipline, self-transcendence, the be inspiring use of best practices and continuous improvement. A solution-focused and our thoughts and actions a constructive vision which thrives inspiring sources of innovation & the and how we interrelate development of the human potential. with each other. 13
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