The socioeconomic context of mental health and the reform of psychiatric care in the Czech republic as a public strategy
Abstract
The aim of this research is to highlight the high socio-economic costs of mental illnesses, which together with the low qu-ality of life of people with mental health problems and their families are a signi-ficant social and public policy problem. Such an extensive problem, that concerns both health and social sectors (as well as a number of other ministries and le-vels of government), requires a strategic approach to the development and imple-mentation of public policy.
Setting up an appropriate system of mental health care and other supportive public social servi-ces cannot be ensured by a simple opera-tive intervention, but by an incremental change in public policies based on the principles of strategic governance and strategic management. The case study of the Strategy for Reform of Psychiatric Care reflects the principles of strategic management in public administration, but its deficits can be seen in the lack of communication (both within the profes-sionals and towards the general public) and in the insufficient involvement of other ministries and other actors of mul-tilevel governance, which is primarily gi-ven by the prevailing, but long outdated approach to setting up the so-called health and social boundaries.
The presented work contains selected passages from the dissertation thesis of the author, which focuses on strategic management in the health care sector with a special emphasis on the mental health policy in the Czech Republic. The main methods used in this article inclu-de desktop research, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders of the public policy process, and participatory observation.