Thessaly Mental Health Company celebrates 35 years in Larissa

To mark World Mental Health Day, an anniversary event was held in Larissa celebrating 35 years of operation for the Thessaly Mental Health Care and Rehabilitation Company (THESYPYPA).

Maximos Charakopoulos, General Secretary of the New Democracy Parliamentary Group and MP for Larissa, attended the event. He emphasized that while society has made significant progress in reducing the social stigma and marginalization of those with mental health issues, there is still much work to be done. He noted that the state supports mental health structures but highlighted the ongoing need for high-level services and family support.

During the event, Professor of Psychiatry Dimitrios Kandylis was honored for his contributions to the field. Charakopoulos also reflected on the historical shift toward deinstitutionalization, referencing the era of the Leros asylum in the early 1990s as a turning point for mental health treatment. The ceremony included remarks from THESYPYPA Board Chairman Giorgos Gazepis and concluded with a theatrical performance by the organization's beneficiaries.