About us
We are Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) for children and adolescents. Our aim is to identify children and young individuals with mental health issues and offer adequate and timely help. There are two mobile teams of professionals working together to find the best ways of supporting children and young people with mental health problems. As part of their work, they also offer help to schools and families. Our teams closely cooperate with the professionals from the Czech Professional Society for Inclusive Education - ČOSIV, the Educhange Foundation and with the Norwegian Østbytunet Centre for the Treatment and Professional Development of Child Psychiatry.
We offer respect and privacy in our practice. We work closely with teachers and provide educational support for children on mental health and behavioural issues. We are dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental illness and share our findings with other Czech professionals.
You can find more about our work and our professional standards in the section For professionals.
Where to find us?
Our Mental Health Support Teams are available in their consultation rooms in the Zruč nad Sázavou Elementary School and the Kamenná Stezka Kutná Hora Elementary School. However, we can also travel directly to you within the extended municipality region of Kutná Hora!
Who works in our teams?
Our Mental Health Support Teams consist of experienced professionals who are open to new ways of supporting children and young adults with mental health problems. Our team members will meet all children, teaching staff and families with a sensitive, empathic and respectful approach.
Our team in Zruč nad Sázavou
BSc. (Hons) Hana Měkotová
Social Worker
show more ->
Bc. et Bc. Iveta Holovská
Special Education Teacher
show more ->
Mgr. Barbora Losenická
Children Psychologist
show more ->
Ludmila Dřevikovská
Nurse
show more ->
Our team in Kutná Hora
Mgr. Miloš Březina
Social Worker
show more ->
Mgr. Adéla Mikulová
Special Education Teacher
show more ->
Mgr. et Mgr. Barbora Hošková
Child Psychologist
show more ->
Expertise and supervision
MUDr. Jan Lorenc
Pedopsychiatrist
show more ->
Mgr. Jana Mazurová
Clinical Psychologist
show more ->
What we do
1) Mental Health Support Teams
In September 2021 we are launching a two-year pilot operation of our Mental Health Support Teams in the extended municipality region of Kutná Hora. In order to do this we have selected the best professionals for our teams and finetuned their professional work standards. We have helped to created cosy consultation rooms in Zruč nad Sázavou and Kutná Hora. We focus on preventing mental health illness in children and adolescents as well as educating, supporting, and connecting with other services in the region. We offer direct hep to children and young adults, families and schools. We also organize a Mental Health Awareness Campaign, through which we teach about the importance of the psychological well-being. Moreover, we aim to de-stigmatize mental illness.
2) Conveying a new approach to vulnerable children
As part of the project, our mental health team staff will be trained by a Norwegian expert partner in the Neurosequential Intervention Model by Bruce D. Perry, MD., Ph.D. from the Child Trauma Academy in Texas. It is an effective and scientifically substantiated approach to supporting children and young people with mental health problems, their loved ones, and their carers. This diagnostic-intervention approach is based on current knowledge of Neuroscience and Developmental Psychology. It focuses on the targeted support of impaired abilities and skills in the socio-emotional and cognitive areas of children and young adults. It also aims to strengthen the competencies of the therapists and other professionals who are in daily contact with children and young people such as teachers, teaching assistants and carers.
Strengthening the competency of the pedagogical staff will allow them to apply a respectful approach to meeting the developmental needs of children. This will significantly decrease the pressure placed on health care providers such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and psychiatric nurses, whose capacities are currently limited.
3) Education for teachers and pedagogical staff
Our focus is to increase knowledge about mental health. By helping to build up teacher’s competencies, educators will be able to apply an appropriate approach to children with mental health problems as well as preventing their mental health deteriorating.
We organize seminars, lectures and discussion forums for teachers.
We also run a De-stigmatization Campaign for educators managed by the organization - Nevypusť duši.
4) Education
A quote: “When we are not feeling mentally well, it is not shameful or a stigma to ask for help.” Klára Laurenčíková
As part of the Mental Health Weeks, we are organizing a De-stigmatization Campaign for the public. We are preparing a wide program in the form of discussions, seminars, the Theatre of the Oppressed, meetings and professional symposia. The aim of the campaign is to increase public awareness of mental health and promote its de-stigmatization.
