Azernews.Az

A Mental Health Forum was held at the New Clinic as part of the collaboration between the Ombudsman’s Office, TABIB, and the IDDO Mental Health Program. The purpose of the forum was to discuss the electronic registration of psychologists, Azernews reports.

During the event, Rashid Rumzade, Deputy Head of the Ombudsman’s Office, emphasized the challenges in the field of mental health, noting the need for support. He explained, "The registration of professionals in this field has long been an issue, and addressing this from a legislative standpoint is important not only for us but for both practitioners and those seeking services. There are still difficulties in practice, and many people require quality psychosocial support. We need the expertise of experienced psychologists. The discussions today will help address these challenges."

Nargiz Hajiyeva, Head of the Department of Work with War Veterans at TABIB, shared that plans are in place to involve doctors in training under the program. "We are focusing on mental health services for the elderly and children within TABIB institutions. More than 100 medical institutions are currently staffed with psychologists. In the near future, we will also begin offering psychological support to school applicants, in collaboration with the State Examination Center," she stated.

Rovshan Nazarli, Chief Psychologist of the IDDO Mental Health Program, explained how the electronic database for psychologists will benefit professionals in the field. "This system will not only allow psychologists to operate through an electronic office but also address issues like misinformation and non-specialists posing as professionals. With this new database, citizens will be able to find qualified psychologists, and it will be monitored by state authorities," he said.

The forum facilitated valuable discussions on mental health issues and introduced new developments in the field.

The event was attended by heads of psychological and speech development centers, faculty from various universities, chief physicians and staff from Psychiatric Hospital No. 2 and the Republican Psychiatric Hospital, and other specialists in psychology.