Not sure that Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) recognized the place. The Federal Minister of Health requested, on Monday, in Schaerbeek, various services of the Jean Titeca hospital center, specialized in psychiatric care, including the brand new Ukuma unit for the care of internees released on trial. These places, with modernized architecture and thought for the comfort of patients, have nothing to do with those he had discovered for the first time, twenty years ago already.

“The philosophy and practice of psychiatric care are changing dramatically.rejoiced Frank Vandenbroucke. In 20 years, we have seen an evolution towards a ‘deinstitutionalization’ of patients” by their care outside hospitals.

The Minister took advantage of this visit on Monday to announce the launch of three calls for projects in the field of psychiatric care, for a total amount of more than 57 million euros.

Engage in dialogue with inmates

The first call for projects, the largest, concerns an amount of 35 million euros and aims to strengthen hospital and outpatient psychiatric capacities for children and adolescents.

The second, amounting to nearly 16 million euros, concerns support for patients in the hospital units called upon for the most acute situations (High intensive care, in the jargon). An accompaniment that the minister wishes “much more human”.

Finally, an envelope of 6.4 million was released by the Minister for initiatives in favor of internees, including in prison. “This is a small amount to encourage initiatives in this area”, according to Mr. Vandenbroucke. These projects could focus, for example, on sending teams to prisons with the aim of initiating an early dialogue with prisoners with psychiatric disorders and encouraging them to embark on a course of care and reintegration.

Applications responding to the three calls for projects are expected by October at the latest.