Project “Implementing the Model for Provision of Youth-friendly Health Care Services in Vilnius City Municipality”

On 7 September 2015, Vilnius city municipality together with its partners began the realisation of the project „Implementing the Model for Provision of Youth-friendly Health Care Services in Vilnius City Municipality“.
The project is funded according to the measure “Improving the Accessibility and Quality of Youth-friendly Health Care Services in Municipalities by Implementing the Model for Provision of Youth-friendly Health Care Services” under the programme no. LT-11 “Public Health Initiatives” of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.
Project partners:
• Public Health Bureau of Vilnius City Municipality;
• Public Institution Antakalnis Clinic
• Lithuanian Medical Students’ Association (LiMSA);
• University Hospital of North Norway (the Kingdom of Norway).
Project purpose is to create a uniform, integrated and coordinated model for provision of health care services that would be tailored to the needs of youth health care, encourage young people to choose a healthier lifestyle and improve the accessibility and quality of public health care services.
During the implementation of the project, youth-friendly health care services are provided in the following four areas: strengthening of mental health and prevention of suicides, health disorders, related to overweight and obesity, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and early unplanned pregnancy, as well as prevention of use of psychoactive substances.
Project implementation:
• The coordination centre for the provision of youth-friendly health care services was established in room 104 of the Public Institution Antakalnis Clinic. The coordinator of the centre Milda Vickutė coordinates the provision of health promotion, prevention, treatment, consulting and monitoring services.
• The Youth health web portal www.sveikatostinklas.lt is administered. There experts prepare, update and publish the latest and reliable information on health issues, as well as adapt it for different target audiences (specialists and youth).
• The algorithms are adapted and being applied.
• The unique training programme, based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, is created. Programs integrated in the Youth health portal will provide a detailed information about anxiety and depressive mood, exercises and information, explaining how to overcome thoughts that do not allow to feel good, teaching how to solve problems, as well as how to form and maintain anxiety and mood management skills. The created training programs will contain audio and video records. Young people and specialists will be able to use these programs independently and free of charge.
• Trainings for the providers of youth-friendly health care services are planned. The purpose of these trainings is to improve the qualification and competence of specialists, providing the aforementioned services, and to contribute to the enhancement of cooperation between the specialists from the different country’s sectors, by addressing youth health problems.
Project benefits and expected results:
It is expected that the created and properly implemented model will contribute to the improvement of health and quality of life, reduction of mortality and health inequalities, as well as improvement of social and economic well-being of 14–29 years old people (23% of all population) in Vilnius city municipality.