The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships For Mental Health Journalism
2008-2009

Emilia Chiscop
Editor of the Education/Culture and Social Department
Ziarul de Iasi Newspaper
Iasi, Romania

TOPIC: Write a series of articles on people with mental illnesses working toward living socially fulfilling lives in the community.

O Incursiune in Sistemul de Sanatate Mintala: Ce se Ascunde in Spatele unor Orori
Sau ca aceea comisa de o femeie din Iasi, Luminita Solcan, care in 2005 l-a injunghiat mortal, in git, in timpul slujbei religioase, in fata a mii de credinciosi, pe celebrul calugar Roger, din Franta? Sau ca aceea a unei profesoare, Ramona Croitoru, de la un liceu de elita din Iasi, care acum trei ani l-a ucis pe invatatorul din satul natal, socindu-si colegii de cancelarie si pe toti care au cunoscut-o?

A Dive into the Romanian Health System: What lies behind some horrors
Almost everyone heard about the terrible murder that disrupted the peace of a summer evening in Iasi on July 3rd 2008. The news that a 39-year-old man beheaded his mother and put her head on the window sill and then tried to take his life by throwing himself out of the window circulated on all media channels. It was then made known that Florin Astefanoaiei had no discernment when committing the crime and that he was an old patient of Socola Hospital of Psychiatry of Iasi where he was hospitalized in 2002 and diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, six years have passed ever since, a period of time about which no medical or social institution can say anything concerning the health condition or treatment of a man who turned into a killer during a delirious fit.

Fortărețele Sufletelor Pierdute
Sîntem printre popoarele cu cea mai şubredă sănătate mintală din Europa. Un studiu efectuat la sfîrşitul anului 2007 de Fundaţia Europeană pentru Calitatea Vieţii şi Condiţiilor de Muncă arată că doar lituanienii, turcii şi bulgarii stau mai prost decît noi la acest capitol, al sănătăţii minţii. Aproximativ 300.000 de români (adică 1-2% din totalul populaţiei) au probleme psihice severe – indică statisticile Organizaţiei Mondiale a Sănătăţii. Potrivit aceleiaşi organizaţii, 1 din 3 oameni a avut, are sau va dezvolta în viitor o tulburare psihică. La 22 de milioane de locuitori, ar însemna vreo 7 milioane de posibile suflete pierdute.

Tragedies that the State Won't Know About: People Condemned to Lifetime Isolation
The family of a child suffering from autism has launched a public awareness campaign dedicated to people with autism. In Iasi there are 310 children diagnosed with autism. But doctors say that the real number is much higher. The number of the newly diagnosed cases has doubled in the last three years. Currently, the Romanian authorities are taking no action for these children: there are neither diagnosis centers, nor state-financed treatment institutions. Parents have been struggling on their own, in a haze of confusion and despair, with only the support of a few NGOs.

O Tulburatoare Poveste despre Vointa si Curaj: Drama si Secretul unei Doctorite
Cititi povestea extraordinara a unei femei care a reusit sa invinga o afectiune psihica grava: schizophrenia. Nu doar ca a facut fata bolii, dar a reusit sa duca o viata normala, obtinind performante pe care nici unii oameni considerati "normali" nu le obtin: a pus pe picioare un cabinet medical pe care il administreaza de una singura si are o fetita frumoasa si desteapta.

A Moving Story about Will and Courage: The Drama and the Secret of a Doctor
Here is the thrilling story of a woman who managed to overcome a serious mental disorder: schizophrenia. Not only did she cope with the illness, but she succeeded in living a normal life with accomplishments that even 'normal' people find it hard to achieve: she set up a medical cabinet that she manages on her own and boasts a beautiful and smart little girl.

Cit de Subtire e Demarcatia Dintre Normal si Patologic, in Unele Afectiuni Psihice?: O Experienta Tulburatoare
"Ziarul de Iasi" va prezinta povestea iesita din comun a unei tinere, psiholog la un cabinet din oras, diagnosticata cu tulburare afectiva bipolara, care reuseste sa-si tina in friu o psihoza ce distruge mii de vieti. Este o afectiune cumplita, pe care, potrivit statisticilor, ar avea-o nu mai putin de 200.000 de romani. Cazul Cristinei arata ce inseamna sa traiesti cu o astfel de afectiune in conditiile sistemului psihiatric invechit din Romania.

Experimentul "Casele Secrete"
In Iasi se desfasoara, de mai multi ani, un experiment psihiatric unicat. In doua case protejate din oras locuiesc persoane care, in alte conditii, ar sta in spital ca in azil, traind ca legumele: strict biologic. Pacientii-locatari au schizofrenie, insa, gratie unui proiect al unei fundatii belgiene, duc o viata aproape de normalitate. Fundatia "Fratii Caritatii" are o vechime de peste 200 de ani in ingrijiri psihiatrice.

Dreptate pentru Ana
La Halaucesti, o copila orfana de mama, abuzata sexual de tata inca de la virsta de 11 ani, devenita apoi victima unui viol sau a unei tentative de viol in grup, ajunge sa fie culpabilizata pentru toate nenorocirile pe care le-a trait. Acest lucru se petrece sub ochii politiei, asistentilor sociali si ai directorului scolii unde invata atit victima cit si unul dintre presupusii agresori. O poveste cutremuratoare despre soarta unor copii ramasi fara parinti, pe care societatea, in loc sa ii ajute sa isi revina, mai mult ii condamna.

Justice for Ana
In Halaucesti, a motherless child, sexually abused by her father from the early age of 11, then a victim of rape or a gang rape attempt, comes to be condemned for all the misfortunes that she's gone through. This happens under the eyes of the police, social assistants and school manager where both the victim and one of the alleged aggressors study. Here is a horrendous story about the fate of some motherless and fatherless children whom the society reprimands rather than lends a hand.

Românii, Condamnaţi la Depresie
Uniunea Europeană şi Organizaţia Mondială a Sănătăţii cheamă guvernele la acţiune comună de prevenire a depresiei şi a suicidului. Apelul nu este însă auzit de autorităţile române, căci, în România, sănătatea mintală este în continuare absentă de pe agenda publică.

The Romanians – Condemned to Depression
A new disease is threatening Europe. Cancers, cardiovascular disorders or diabetes no longer seem so dreadful. Progress in medicine offers more chances for an early diagnosis, treatment and healing of these diseases that used to have a top position in mortality classifications. The disease of the modern man attacks the mind and soul. It is called depression.

Povestea unui Scriitor Care s-a Luptat 20 de ani cu Depresia
John Head, scriitor american, fost jurnalist, membru in comitetul consultativ al Programului de burse pentru jurnalism pe sanatate mintala de la Centrul Pezidential Carter, din Atlanta, SUA vorbeste despre cum s-a confruntat timp de 20 de ani cu o depresie netratata. Pe 5 februarie, el va conferentia la Iasi. Evenimentul are loc la invitatia unui jurnalist de la "Ziarul de Iasi", fost bursier Carter, si a Spitalului Socola.

"Having a Wonderful Family or a Great Career Doesn't Guarantee That You Won't Suffer rom Depression"
John Head, American writer, former journalist, member of the Advisory Board of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship Program, Atlanta, USA, shares his personal experiences as a survivor of untreated clinical depression for over more than 20 years. On February 5th he will be lecturing in Iasi after being invited by a journalist from „Ziarul de Iasi" newspaper (who was a 2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Carter fellow) and by the „Socola" University Hospital of Psychiatry.  Read Ms. Chiscop's with John Head.