People with severe mental disorders are a group characterised by the need for care, over long periods of time, in significant and diverse areas of their social, personal and family functioning. These difficulties may be accompanied by varying degrees of disability and dependence.

Today, there is a high degree of professional consensus as to the interventions which should be available and which are effective for the individual with serious mental illness and his or her family. This requires a co-ordinated set of interventions in the areas of health and social support which guarantee his or her permanence in the community and respect in his or her consideration as a citizen.

In Andalusia, the care of these people is carried out through the health and social serviceswhich are community based and orientated. There is also a specific network of social support programmes – complementary to both the health services and the general social and employment services, – managed by the Andalusian Public Foundation for Social Integration of the People with Mental disorders.

At the request of the Andalusian Parliament, FAISEM was created in 1993 with the following characteristics:

• FAISEM was born with the responsibility of supporting public services through the Department of Health, Social Services and Employmentof the regional government of Andalucía.

• Financing, through the general budgets of the Andalusian Autonomous community.

• As an instrument of the intersectoral policy of the Andalusian Administration, its goal is the development and management of resources to provide social support for individuals with disabilities derived from serious mental illness.

• A structure and functioning following efficiency and quality criteria, and including the participation of professionals, family, users and other social bodies.

• A model of services supported by co-ordination with the general health and social service networks.

The aim of the organization is to provide social support for individuals with serious mental illness and to assure them a set of services in coordination with Service of the Department of Sports, Education, the mental health services and social services networks.

Ever since its creation, FAISEM has been consolidating a network of resources for social backing that serves 10.000 people with disabilities due to suffering a serious mental disorder, within residential resources, social enterprises, social clubs, work shops, day care centers, programs for attention of homeless people and those within jails and sports programs, in which a total of 1.059 people carry out professional activity, 73% are women and 27% are men.

FAISEM’s action is aimed at the development of a program of sport activities in the region of Andalucía with the support of local government, at national and European levels.

The principal lines of action of FAISEM are as follows:

A) The RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME provides accommodation with varying degrees of support in:

• 170 apartments («supervised housing») with a total of 696 places

• 53 sheltered homes with a total of 932 places

• Home support programmes used by 275 individuals

• And arrangements with 30 residential homes with a total of 44 places

B) The DAY SUPPORT PROGRAM offering care in:

• 79 occupational workshops, with a total of 2.060 places.

• 30daycenter, with a total of 1.140 places.

• Leisure and Free Time, providing opportunities for re-socialisation through:

o 46 Social Clubs, attended by 1.755 users

o A programme of holidays and sports activities used by 254 individuals

C) The LABOUR OR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME which develops professional training and employment support activities, some of which are carried out through the company IDEMA, S.A. basically:

• 8 services of employment guidance and support, attended 1.745 persons for employment and delivery of individuals and providing 1.265 contracts (638 on the open market).

• 9 Social Firms (Idema group) providing employment to 666 individuals, 349 of whom have mental health problems.

D) GUARDIANSHIP, promoting and supporting the development of institutions with guardians on a provincial level, attended by a total of 1.607 individuals.

E) In addition to various TRAINING, RESEARCH AND COOPERATION NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

F) Support programme for homeless (129 persons) and Imprisioned people with severe mental health disorders (114).

G) Support Andalusian Federation of Relatives of People with Mental Disorders (FEAFES-ANDALUCIA) and Andalusian Federation of Associations of Users of Mental Health (En Primera persona Federation).

H) Programme SPORT in people with severe mental health disorders.

• Sports activities are programmed in each one of the provinces through programs directly managed by FAISEM.

• Provincial championships are carried out and activities addressed for people cared for in the residential program of FAISEM and in the social clubs.

• Regional and national Football Championships are held in which people participate coming from all the Andalusian provinces. The sports activity is matched by cultural events, recreational events, round tables with the presence of sports professionals and users, volunteers, etc.

• In all the activities programed participation of the local entities is made possible in the organization and are carried out in community contexts.