Mental health and justice: for the third year running, CAMHI trains tomorrow's judges

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The training sessions for students of the National School of the Judiciary took place in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Τhe Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) held, for the third consecutive year, two-day training sessions for students of the National School of the Judiciary (ESDi): on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 June in Athens, and on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 June in Thessaloniki. The sessions took place at the judges' hall of the Athens Court of Appeal and at the "E. Kroustallakis" amphitheater of the School of Judges in Thessaloniki, respectively, with a total of 53 students taking part. The sessions form part of the collaboration between the ESDi and CAMHI, based on Decision No. 105/3-6-2024 of the Board of Directors of the NSJ, and were addressed to NSJ students specializing in Civil-Criminal Justice, Magistrates, and Prosecutors.

The training topics focused on, among others, child protection, psychological trauma, juvenile delinquency, family conflicts, and collaboration between judicial officers and mental health services. Participant evaluations showed particularly high levels of satisfaction, with attendees highlighting as especially valuable the direct connection between the training topics and current social and legal realities.




Top left: Ms. Lignou delivering her remarks. Right: Eirini Paraschou of CAMHI. Bottom: A moment from the ESDi training session in Athens. Photos: Stathis Mandalakis.
Top left: Ms. Lignou delivering her remarks. Right: Eirini Paraschou of CAMHI. Bottom: A moment from the ESDi training session in Athens. Photos: Stathis Mandalakis.


On behalf of the ESDi, opening remarks in Athens were delivered by Sofia Lignou, President of Appeals Court Judges, President of the Three-Member Board of the Athens Court of Appeal, and Supervisor of practical training for students of the 31st educational cycle in the Civil-Criminal Justice track of the ESDi, based at the Athens Court of First Instance. In Thessaloniki, opening remarks were delivered by Dimitra Sotiriadou, President of Appeals Court Judges and Director of Training for the Civil-Criminal Justice track of the ESDi.

In her remarks, Ms. Sotiriadou underlined the importance of the training and its contribution to helping judges better understand the particular needs of adolescents.


Top left: Ms. Sotiriadou, Ms. Athanasopoulou and Mr. Zilikis, during the training session in Thessaloniki. Top right: Theano Touma of CAMHI. Bottom left: Efi Kapsimalli, of CAMHI. Bottom right: CAMHI staff members, in Thessaloniki. Photos: Stathis Mandalakis.
Top left: Ms. Sotiriadou, Ms. Athanasopoulou and Mr. Zilikis, during the training session in Thessaloniki. Top right: Theano Touma of CAMHI. Bottom left: Efi Kapsimalli, of CAMHI. Bottom right: CAMHI staff members, in Thessaloniki. Photos: Stathis Mandalakis.



On behalf of CAMHI, the following scientific collaborators took part as speakers: Evangelini Athanasopoulou, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Coordinating Director at the National Health System (ESY) - 3rd Health Region-PEDIPSY, and member of CAMHI's Scientific Coordinating Committee; Nikos Zilikis, Emeritus Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and member of CAMHI's Scientific Coordinating Committee; Efstathia Kapsimalli, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, project support officer and scientific advisor to CAMHI; and Theano Touma, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and scientific advisor to CAMHI.

The speakers shared their field experience in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, focusing on the need for early intervention, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a child-centered approach.

Read more about CAMHI's training for the Judiciary here.

CAMHI's training programs are supported exclusively by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as part of the SNF Global Health Initiative (GHI), and are implemented in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute (New York).