Careif is an international mental health charity that works towards protecting and promoting mental health, wellbeing, resilience and resourcefulness with a special focus towards eliminating inequalities and strengthening social justice. Our principles include working creatively with humility, dignity and balanced partnerships in order to ensure that all cultures and societies play their part in our mission of protecting and promoting mental health and wellbeing. We do this by respecting the traditions of all world societies, whilst believing that culture and traditions can evolve for even greater benefit to individuals and society.
The main aim of Careif is to share knowledge about mental health in order to improve people's wellbeing. It delivers its work through four distinctive building blocks, which are:
- High quality learning and teaching locally, nationally and internationally
- Research, evaluation and practice development into culture and wellbeing
- Provide international volunteering, exchange and twinning schemes
- Promote and develop positive practice on sports, young people and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
Careif appealed to the Iranian authorities to consider the release of the detainees on grounds of human compassion and their own long tradition of embracing truth. There is an evidence base that social isolation, linguistic isolation, detention in many contexts, loss of friendships and family and freedoms can have devastating consequences, producing states of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even hallucinations and suicide. This Careif Position Statement was sent to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was shared with the then UK Prime Minister and through the diplomatic community in Tehran and with the then President of the United States of America via the America Ambassador in London.
Careif original Position Statement was adopted as a declaration by the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry (WACP) congress in Puerto Valletta, Mexico in 2015 and later by the World Psychiatric Association. (WPA). The declaration calls on Governments to respect, uphold and administer the UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE CONVENTION (1951) and to respond to the mental health needs of migrants and refugees. It has now been endorsed by many psychiatric institutions across the world, published in a number of languages and utilised as a template by many organisations to get practical actions done.
Promoting Mental Health 4 Life is a learning resource Careif created with a number of partners to help individuals and organisations improve both their own mental health and the mental health of the people they serve. There are many small but powerful steps that can be taken by individuals and organisations from all sectors which can make an impact on mental health. Knowledge improves understanding and reduces stigma. This resource has now been made available to the WPA for use across its membership of over 200,000 psychiatrists across 160 countries.
During the past, several decades, there has been a steadily increasing recognition of the importance of cultural influences on life and health. There is a need to improve the cultural competence of psychiatric services enabling them to provide evidence based care, unbiased by views about an individual’s majority or minority cultural status and influenced only by respect for their values, human right and world view. This Position Statement was launched in the House of Lords - UK Parliament at Careif/WPA
Careif partnered with the WPA to publish this Bill of Rights that incorporates The Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It sets out a series of practical actions aimed at achieving, social justice, human rights and care.
Careif is funding and promoting this resource developed by Professor Vikram Patel with the Royal College of Psychiatrist. “Where there is no Psychiatrist” is not designed as a substitute for excellent face-to-face clinical support, but in so many countries, this is simply not available. A publication which can be easily accessed and shared by many enables health care professionals and community workers to care for their mentally ill patients. Without this knowledge, the gap would be even more critical.
The Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation- International Foundation (Careif)
Centre for Psychiatry
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine
Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine & Dentistry
Old Anatomy Building
Charterhouse Square
London EC1M 6BQ
UK
Our list is extensive across a number of countries, institutions/organisations/governments and individuals.
We fund raise to do our work. We do not employ people, all our work is done by volunteers- that is our Patrons, Honorary Patrons, Trustees, International Advisors and selected Volunteers. Our overheads are deployed to meet our legal compliance with regards to the Law, Insurance, Accounts. A unique Charity/NGO with minimal overheads.
