The QualityRights initiative – UNICA & UEM, Cagliari, Italy

QualityRights in Italy

The QualityRights initiative – UNICA & UEM, Cagliari, Italy

The University of Cagliari (UNICA) and the Università Europea del Mediterraneo (UEM) are supporting the development of the WHO QualityRights Initiative in Italy, through several actions.

The initiative is referred to in the Project Collaboration Agreement between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the University of Cagliari (UNICA), entitled “Collaboration between the World Health Organization and the University of Cagliari for implementing the WHO QualityRights Project in the Mediterranean area.”

As part of this agreement, the University of Cagliari (UNICA), Italy, has as key tasks:

  • introduce and scale up an innovative QualityRights intervention in the Mediterranean area;
  • unite and empower people from the Mediterranean area to improve the quality of care and promote human rights in mental health in their countries;
  • implement and conduct studies on the effectiveness and impact of the WHO QualityRights training packages;
  • encourage the introduction of the WHO QualityRights training package in the academic curricula of mental health workers (psychiatric rehabilitation technicians, educators, psychologists, physicians); and
  • support the development of an on-line package for training people with an interest in promoting the rights of persons with menta! health and psychosocial disabilities (such as mental health workers, mental health service users, their relatives and other stakeholders).

Achievements to date

  • 5 documents comprising the QualityRights assessment Tool Kit translated into Italian
  • Support in the development of the QualityRights e-training platform, for the training of people with an interest in promoting the rights of persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities
  • 128 participants from Italy and other countries (including from the Mediterranean area) trained in-person on the QualityRights Assessment Toolkit and methodology
  • 100 stakeholders from Italy and other countries (including from the Mediterranean area) participated to in-person QualityRights Training on mental health, disability, human rights, recovery & the CRPD
  • 45 participants from Italy and other countries (including from the Mediterranean area) trained to be trainers on QualityRights issues
  • 8792 participants trained through the QualityRights e-training platform in Ghana (in collaboration with other partners), 7 in Armenia, 21 In Lebanon, and 78 in Italy
  • Coordination of QualityRights activities in four countries:
    • Armenia
    • Ghana
    • Lebanon
    • Tunisia
  • Creation of a databank of the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and HRCSOs operating in Ghana and Armenia
  • Collection of data on the quality of care and respect of human rights in mental health facilities in Armenia (3 services), Lebanon (2 services) Ghana (3 services), and Tunisia (1 service)
  • Extensive communication about the QualityRights Initiative with key national stakeholders

Cooperation with other countries

The University of Cagliari, in Italy, is the project leader for the European Commission project “Empowering people with psychosocial disabilities to fights for their rights: an implementation of the CRPD and QualityRights principles in Armenia, Ghana, and Lebanon.”

This project aims to promote and support the rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities living in Armenia, Ghana, and Lebanon.

In Tunisia, the University of Cagliari, in Italy, was the project leader for the Sardinian Region project entitled “Tunisia e Sardegna a sostegno della qualità dei diritti umani delle persone con disabilità psicosociali”.

This project aimed to promote and support the rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities living in Tunisia.

To find out more about the activities coordinated by UNICA being implemented in the different countries, click on the following links:

  • The EC project on people with psychosocial disabilities living in Ghana, Lebanon, and Armenia click here
  • The project in Ghana click here
  • The project in Lebanon click here
  • The project in Armenia click here
  • The project in Tunisia click here

International meetings 

Next steps

  • Evaluation of the efficacy of the QualityRights e-training among mental health professionals – cluster Randomized Contolled Trial carried out in Ghana
  • Evaluation of the efficacy of the QualityRights e-training among people with psychosocial disabilities – Randomized Contolled Trial carried out in Ghana
  • Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the QualityRights questionnaires on knowledge, attitudes, and practices
  • The QualityRights e-training platform is being translated into Italian for national rollout in 2021.
  • Support the Armenian partners in translating the QualityRights e-training platform into Armenia for national rollout in 2021.
  • Support the Lebanese partners in translating the QualityRights core training modules into Arabic
  • Support the partners from Armenia, Ghana, and Lebanon in preparing the reports from the assessment of mental health facilities in their countries
  • Support the partners from Armenia, Ghana, and Lebanon in preparing and implementing the improvement plans in mental health facilities in their countries

 Social media

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/QRSardinia

https://twitter.com/QRagile

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/qualityrights_AGILe 

QualityRights resources available in Italian

WHO QualityRights Assessment Toolkit (Italian)

Financial support

These activities are made possible thanks to the financial support of the European Commission, the Fondazione di Sardegna, and the Regione Autonoma di Sardegna.