title: Changing patterns of mental health care in Greece (1984-1996).
abstract: Greece joined the European Community in 1981 and, three years later, the Commission of the European Communities provided financial and technical assistance under EEC Regulation 815/84 for the modernisation of the traditional psychiatric care system, with the emphasis on decentralisation of mental health services and the development of community-based services, as well as on deinstutionalization of long-stay patients and improvement of conditions in public mental hospitals. Over the last 11 years, the implementation of the EEC Reg. 815/84 programme contributed to a significant shift towards extramural care and rehabilitation. The role of the large mental hospitals has gradually been diminished and a large number of long-stay patients have been deinstitutionalised. It is commonly accepted that the EEC-funded psychiatric reform programme, despite inadequacies and constraints, had an impact on the changing mental health scene in Greece.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursing University of Athens and University Mental Health Research Institute, Monitoring and Evaluation of Mental Health Services Unit, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Madianos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsiantis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zacharakis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000639:trends*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends