Representation and defence of the rights

Feafes Galicia has a department of Communication, responsible for spreading a positive image of people with mental illness among the society. For this reason, we are in contact with the media, we make publications, spreading material and spread our messages through the social networks. In addition, we try to raise awareness among journalists through our style guide ‘Mental Health and the Media.” The disinformation and the lack of knowledge about the different mental illnesses frequently make society reject and discriminate people who suffer from this kind of disorders. Sometimes, the media perpetuate, unconsciously, the false believes and stereotypes about people with mental health problems. For this reason, in Feafes Galicia we take advantage from all the channels within our reach to protect the image of people with mental illnesses, eradicate wrong ideas and spread a positive image.

Feafes Galicia has a department of Communication, responsible for spreading a positive image of people with mental illness among the society. For this reason, we are in contact with the media, we make publications, spreading material and spread our messages through the social networks. In addition, we try to raise awareness among journalists through our style guide ‘Mental Health and the Media.” The disinformation and the lack of knowledge about the different mental illnesses frequently make society reject and discriminate people who suffer from this kind of disorders. Sometimes, the media perpetuate, unconsciously, the false believes and stereotypes about people with mental health problems. For this reason, in Feafes Galicia we take advantage from all the channels within our reach to protect the image of people with mental illnesses, eradicate wrong ideas and spread a positive image.

Galician and Spanish laws put the rights of people suffering from mental illness on a level with those from other patients and also specify the resources needed to give an adequate attention in the area of mental health. Regulations say that attention should be given in the communal area, promoting assistance resources at the ambulatory and the systems of partial hospitalization and home assistance which reduce the need of hospitalization as much as possible. Moreover, the law also states that the social rehabilitation and reintegration systems will be developed due to their necessity for providing a comprehensive and adequate attention of problems to people with mental illness. For this reason it is necessary to look for the perfect coordination with the social services.

 However, nowadays, there is still an important lack of material and professional means for this correct attention. This is the reason why, in Feafes Galicia we defend the rights of people with mental illness and demand the resources they need.