They work in places of detention, for example in prisons or psychiatric institutions. On site, they listened to several contributions from the Ombudsman Board.
Two experts first presented the organisation and working methods of the Ombudsman Board. They then spoke about the challenges of ensuring the mental health of people in psychiatric institutions and detention centres. They also provided information on the Ombudsman Board's international activities to promote mental health in institutions.
The subsequent discussions centred on the lack of specialists in places of detention. The participants confirmed that they clearly feel the effects of this shortage in their daily work in the various member states. They also showed great interest in the cooperation between the Ombudsman Board and the institutions it visited.
The visit took place as part of the EU-funded PROMENS project. The project aims to strengthen the competences of professionals in the field of mental health through cross-border exchange.
Participants from almost all EU countries at the Austrian Ombudsman Board in Vienna