SASTIPE – IMPROVING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ROMA PEOPLE

SASTIPE is a European initiative designed to improve Roma communities’ access to mental health services and reduce existing inequalities in this field. The intervention starts from the reality that Roma people face multiple barriers in accessing mental health services, including discrimination, stigma, poverty, lack of information, and services that are insufficiently adapted to the cultural context. In many vulnerable communities, psychological problems remain undiagnosed or untreated, which increases the risk of social exclusion.

Funded through the EU4Health Programme, the project runs from September 2024 to August 2027 and contributes to the European “Healthier Together” initiative dedicated to preventing non-communicable diseases and improving mental health among vulnerable groups. The consortium brings together eight organizations from Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria, coordinated by the National Center for Mental Health and Anti-Drug Fight, an institution under the Romanian Ministry of Health.

The project’s main objective is to develop and test an integrated model of mental health services adapted to Roma communities, based on collaboration between health mediators and professionals in psychology and psychiatry. The project includes the analysis of European good practices, the development of methodological guides, training programs, and a digital platform for exchanging experience.

A central component is the piloting of a personalized intervention model in communities, combining counselling, information, community support, and facilitated access to specialized services. The project also implements awareness campaigns to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and advocacy activities aimed at improving public policies.

SASTIPEN plays a key role in developing and testing the service model, coordinating community intervention activities, training for health mediators, and information actions. The project will generate practical tools, public policy recommendations, and replicable models, contributing to more inclusive health systems and to improving the quality of life of Roma people affected by mental health problems.