On 28 February 2019, the Public Defender of Georgia organized a meeting with mental health specialsits. Topics of the meeting were the current situation in the field of mental health, related challenges and future plans. The event was opened by Public Defender Nino Lomjaria.

Problems related to inpatient and outpatient mental health care, quality medical services and overcrowding of institutions were discussed and the importance of timely developing alternative community services for the process of deinstitutionalization in the field of mental health was emphasized at the meeting.

Participants of the meeting focused on the management and prevention of mental health problems caused by the use of psychoactive substances, different regulation of psychiatry and drug addiction and measures to be taken in this direction.

Problems in the Mental Health Center of Eastern Georgia and the ways of solving the problems were also discussed at the meeting.

The Public Defender will continue to identify challenges in the field of mental health and to communicate with responsible state agencies, as well as experts and persons with psycho-social needs, for the purpose of finding solutions.