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Présenté lors du VIIé Congrès de l'association mondiale de réhabilitation psychosociale (WAPR 2000 8-9 mai 2000)

Dr.PATRICK BANTMAN ( Hôpital Esquirol ST-Maurice)

We give our full support to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is also expected to guarantee the rights of persons with mental disorders and their relatives .

The end of the second millenium must be the opportunity for the States to (re)define a Mental Health practice that guarantees the user' and relatives' rights regarding Mental Health .Quite a few prior resolutions have already expressed such guarantes within the WARP as well as within other international associations.

Significant financial means must be implemented for Mental Health by the States concerned in order to make possible the fight against stigmatization and discrimination for psychiatric reasons , and the development of assistance and rehabilitation processes outside the psychiatric hospitals .

Concerning users and patients

1. The right to self-determination : The right to make decisions about one's life, including whether or not to accept treatment and what kinds of treatments to have.

2. The right to non-discrimination : The right to be a citizen equal to other citizens of one's country and not to be discriminated against or segregated because of a mental disorder. Indiscriminacion.

3. The users also ask for the right to represent themselves in all forums in which mental health policy and practices are discussed and not to be represented by others who claim to speak "for" them. Regarding planning, Mental Health policy and care organization, the users should be significantly involved in the decision-making process. Everyone should be entitled to appropriate assistance and care specifically adapted to their case and problems if need be. Assistance and treatment should be legally guaranteed.

4. This assistance can be applied whatever the person's residence (hospital, family, personal or therapeutic housing, homeless patient). Community psychiatry is the most appropriate way to achieve this right to a diversity of services./ The treatment, as well as any change in this treatment, will be established in agreement with the psychicly suffering person. User-run alternatives can propose the users to be taken care of within or without the official care system.

5. Recipients of care can be deprived of their freedom only if their condition is such that enforced hospitalization and treatment are considered necessary to protect their health, their safety or that of their relatives. This can only be done on the basis of a legal code which guarantees all fundamental human rights. Only a judicial authority can take such a decision

6. Recipients of care must have complete control over their finances and possessions for as long as possible. They may only be deprived of control in accordance with specific legal provisions.

7. All expenses for treatment, care and rehabilitation should be met by a legally guaranteed social security system

Concerning families

1. The professionals working in psychiatry must extend their viewpoints regarding care of and responsibilities to users, to all those around them and particularly their families

2. The family must be assisted and sometimes supported in the problems that appear in connection with the user, particularly within the scope of the therapeutic project and the reinsertion-rehabilitation project

3. It is important to guarantee assistance by informing and giving families means of communication regarding the possible ways to take in charge the persons with psychic problems.

4. The assistance given to the family, as well as the care to the patients must not cease if the user refuses them. In difficult situations, the families must be advised regarding their attitude towards the patient whose behaviour raises a problem, while respecting the file medical confidentiality.The device of Mental health must be accessible 24h on 24 and the access to the care easy and fast

5. The recipients of care and their families must be informed about the treatments used, the results and expectations of those treatments, and the possible side effects of the medication, together with the different care opportunities proposed in the department.

6. Professionals and families must also collaborate on the development and implementation of various social services necessary to a user-adapted support including, for example, housing facilities

7. We will draw the users' and the family members' attention to the existence of organizations which provide help. They can be found in most Western countries (organizations of service users, of patients' families, etc.).

8. Regarding this, the initiatives of international associations to reduce stigmatization and discrimination daily experienced by persons with schizophrenia must be encouraged and organized at a national level

9. Improving the communication with the public to allow a better understanding and tolerance of the psychic problems is a key element of this action.

Ce projet de manifeste à été rédigé à partir de propositions , remarques et suggestions exprimées par les personnes suivantes , ainsi que par consultations des sites internet d'association d'usagers ou de familles d'usagers : Paul Morin (Collectif de défense des droits de la Monterégie -Canada )
Luc Vigneault (Association des groupes de défense des droits en santé mentale du Quebec)
Claude Finkelstein (Fédération Nationale des Associations d'(ex)Patients en Psychiatrie)
Dr Antonio Garcia (France)
Judi Chamberlin (USA)
Marianne Farkas (Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation-USA)
Susan Kirkwood ( Eufami -Great-Britain)
The Anti-Psychiatrie coalition (Usa)
National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (USA)
J.Walcke (Union Nationale des Familles et Amis des malades mentaux ) France)
Bertrand Escaig (Unafam France)
R.van der Male (Straatadvocaat Basisberaad GGZ Rotterdam -Nederland)
Consumers and survivor movement (Madnation-USA )
Consumor/Survivor Information Resource Center of Toronto
Internet Ressource for people with disabilities (Grande Bretagne)
Diane Froggatt Executive Director of the World Fellowship for schizophrenia and allied Disorders
National Schizophrénia Fellowship (Grande Bretagne)
Die Psychiatrie-Erfahrenen Homepage (Allemagne)
Support group in Australia
Manifeste de la Première Conference Européenne des Familles de malades mentaux (De Haan-Belgium, 7-9 juin 1990)
Manifeste de Barcelone ( 2éme Congrés européen des associations des familles de malades mentaux )
Deuxième Congrés de la WARP(Barcelone 1989)

Coordination du projet PATRICK BANTMAN Hôpital Esquirol FRANCE