History of the Foundation
In chronological order of creation
Action lines
The Foundation was created in 1994 by Alicia Koplowitz, its president, with the firm commitment to promote the healthy development and emotional well-being of children and adolescents in Spain. The Foundation’s work over the years can be grouped into three main lines of action (in chronological order of creation):
01
Social action area.
Centred on the Social Action Programme, focused its main work, for 25 years, on the care of children and adolescents under the guardianship of the Community of Madrid.
02
Scientific area
Created in 2005, with the aim of contributing to the advancement of research and improving the training of professionals in the field of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Child and Adolescent Neurosciences and Neuropaediatrics in Spain.
03
Clinical and training area in child and adolescent mental health
Was created in 2022 with a dual purpose: on the one hand, to make the mental health needs of children and adolescents more accessible and, on the other, to offer training to professionals who work with children and adolescents.
Social action area
The social area, centred on the Social Action Programme, focused its main work, for 25 years, on the care of children and adolescents under the guardianship of the Community of Madrid, from very dysfunctional families, from environments at high risk of social exclusion; providing them with homes (which tried to recreate a family home, with specialised educators in charge of them). The aim of this programme was to cover the needs of these children and adolescents in all areas: education, health, development and psychological and social well-being. Once they have reached the age of majority, it also accompanies them by offering them university education or vocational training, facilitating their incorporation into the world of work and even housing. This programme has assisted more than 400 minors and currently continues to help and maintain contact with all those who need it and come to the Foundation.
The social action area has also contributed to assisting other social groups with specific needs, such as those affected by Multiple Sclerosis, for whom the Foundation has built and donated the ‘Alicia Koplowitz’ Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the Community of Madrid, currently managed and financed by the Department of Social Policies and Family of the Community of Madrid.
Scientific area
The scientific area was created in 2005, with the aim of contributing to the advancement of research and improving the training of professionals in the field of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Child and Adolescent Neurosciences and Neuropaediatrics in Spain. Within this program, the Foundation awards Advanced Training Grants, Short Term Specialization and Research Grants and Grants for Research Projects. Every year it holds its Scientific Conferences with national and international speakers of recognized prestige.
In 2014, the Association of Scientists in Child and Adolescent Mental Health ‘Alicia Koplowitz Foundation’ was formally constituted in Madrid, a very active entity, linked and sponsored by the Foundation, whose main objective is to be the natural channel for maintaining the relationship between its members, as well as with the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation and the institutions with which it collaborates.
Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has awarded 142 Research Grants (in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Neurosciences and Neuropaediatrics), 83 Advanced Training Grants (in Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Neuropaediatrics) at prestigious universities in different countries, as well as 132 Grants for short stays in foreign centres. In order to bring this training to our country, the Foundation created return agreements, financing the hiring of professionals who had received these grants, for one year in Spanish public hospitals through its Research Foundations. In this way, the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation has contributed to the official recognition of the Speciality in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, offering training and professional training to Spanish psychiatrists in countries where this speciality and, therefore, its regulated training, already existed.
Clinical and training area in child and adolescent mental health
In 2022, the clinical and training area in child and adolescent mental health was created with a dual purpose: on the one hand, to make the mental health needs of children and adolescents more accessible and, on the other, to offer training to professionals who work with children and adolescents. To this end, we designed and financed two programmes:
- Mental Health Liaison and Coordination Programme for schools (Ordinary Education and Special Education).
- Training Programme in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for schools.
The first is a community care programme in child and adolescent mental health, a pioneer in Spain, which we developed in the Community of Madrid, within the framework of an agreement between our foundation and the Regional Ministries of Health and Education, Science and Universities. We created and implemented the programme in collaboration with the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid. The aim of this programme is to improve the mental health of children and adolescents, acting in their school environment. It is carried out through the joint work of education professionals and health professionals (teams of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and mental health nurses). The programme is designed with scientific rigour and following WHO recommendations, working in the natural environment, in the place where children and adolescents spend most of their time: schools and institutes. We started with a pilot project in the 2022-2023 academic year, with 13 schools in the area of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital. Subsequently, it has been extended and the Hospital del Sureste and the Hospital La Paz have been incorporated, currently serving (after the increase in funding sources) 119 schools (public and subsidised). In order to evaluate the implementation of the programme, we carried out a research study with the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid to assess its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The ultimate goal is to make this community care programme part of public policy.
The second is the Training Programme on Mental Health in Childhood and Adolescence for schools, whose general objective is to offer tools and basic knowledge to prevent and detect warning signs of mental health problems or disorders in children and adolescents, in their school environment, as well as to promote the integration of those who suffer from them. We develop this programme with the Consejería de Educación, Ciencia y Universidades de la Comunidad de Madrid, accrediting entity. The courses are part of the continuous teacher training and are available to all public, subsidised and private schools. These courses are aimed at teachers, guidance department professionals, school nurses and families. The final objective is to contribute to the implementation in our Community and at national level of structured training in child and adolescent mental health for education professionals working with children and adolescents.
We are currently working on the creation of a Training Programme in Child and Adolescent Mental Health for paediatricians and other Primary Care professionals.