SMES - ITALIA (Salute Mentale Esclusione Sociale) is an association of Social Promotion. The association was born as a direct emanation of SMES-Europa, a non-profit association based in Brussels, consisting of a network of European professionals and organizations, engaged on the front lines, in the area of intersection between mental health and social exclusion. The care of mental, physical and social well-being, the promotion of human rights, access to social and health services, social inclusion and solidarity for people living in conditions of extreme marginality, are the values shared by the two associations and inspiring the activities undertaken. The aims of SMES-ITALIA are based on a specific focus on persons having mental distress and a severe socio-economic deprivation, in close synergy with the European organization SMES EUROPA, through the activities listed below: PREVENTION • increase innovative assistance and reintegration projects; • develop, implement, monitor projects for the prevention of mental illness and social exclusion; • promote local, regional and European partnership; • intensify opportunities for collaboration between subjects oriented towards services for disadvantaged people. TRAINING • offer possibilities and opportunities for exchanges of ideas and experiences and to elaborate guidelines and proposals; • promote lifelong learning through participation in seminars, conventions, conferences and congresses; • propose training courses and modules ; • communication and dissemination of data and information, at local, regional and European level RIGHTS GUARANTEE • facilitate access to services; • protect human dignity, denouncing situations of denial of fundamental and civil rights to housing, health and citizenship; • protecting the right to have identity and health documents • raise awareness among psycho-social workers, policy makers, civil society on social and health issues related to marginality and exclusion.
