The Minister on Marika's Mental Ill Situation: "A Sad Example"

Assignment review has been able to tell about mentally ill Marika Sellgren who, when she is evicted from her apartment and becomes homeless, is placed by the social services at the hostel Rysseviken outside Stockholm. There she lives with other mentally ill - and active addicts who can take drugs on the property.

From January 1 to May 22 this year, the police made 23 calls to Russia, only four people have died in the past five years.

Social Minister Lena Hallengren (S) is critical of Marika being placed at the shelter.

- It is clear that society has a responsibility when people not only need to take over, but when in fact they need care for a psychiatric illness and diagnosis - and that is not what the Russians offer.

Marika Sellgren is evicted from her apartment after getting into conflicts with neighbors and social services. Among other things, she is convicted of threatening a neighbor. According to a medical certificate, because of her mental illness, she cannot change her behavior.

Lena Hallengren believes that the municipalities must take responsibility for everyone to live according to their conditions - and that the regions must ensure that those in need of psychiatric care receive it.

- Of course, when I see this program, it strikes me that if you as a municipality prioritize tax cuts and have a stop in employment in the social services, then it is for example people like Marika who fall in between, says Lena Hallengren.

She does not believe that the solution lies in changing the legislation.

- If you ask if I as a social democrat and social minister know with this group, I absolutely do. But that does not mean that we need new legislation.

Lars Edner, who has been Marika's psychologist for many years, is critical to the division of responsibility for the mentally ill between the social services and psychiatry. He calls the type of shelter that Marika has been placed on as "the new mental hospital", where the mentally ill become without help and support.

Social Minister Lena Hallengren believes that more good support housing is needed - but she does not want to see some real mental hospitals like those that existed before the psychiatric reform.

- I don't think we should go back there, but we have to make sure we have a care that works.

So what is your answer to what we have now seen?

- Everyone has the right to feel that welfare is where you need it, there is no doubt about it. And there is also no doubt that this is a sad example that I have been able to share, says Lena Hallengren.

Rysseviken AB has declined to comment on the criticism directed at the accommodation. After an interview with Assignment Review, the social services has arranged a short-term accommodation for Marika Sellgren.