The European Commission Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health process got back in action for the Autumn on Thursday 21st September 2023 with an event, attended by EFPA...
The European Commission Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health process got back in action for the Autumn on Thursday 21st September 2023 with an event, attended by EFPA, focused on how stakeholders can help implement the Commission's recently updated mental health policy. The pictures included here show the themes voted upon as a priority by those who attended.
The main aspects of the new Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health strategy are:
(i) to have access to adequate and effective prevention
(ii) to have access to high quality and affordable mental healthcare and treatment
(iii) to be able to reintegrate society after recovery
For full details read the communication by the Commission (1) and EFPA's response (2).
From the perspective of European psychology at the meeting EFPA emphasised the importance of the approach being not just comprehensive, but integrative. As there are so many stakeholders and different priorities it is essential that we work together as much as possible around a coherent framework.
Stefan Screck, DG Sante, who was hosting the event responded by pointing to the importance of the Mental Health in All Policies stakeholder network hosted by Mental Health Europe (3) in helping to ensure that work in this area is not siloed.
As EFPA participates in mental health advocacy efforts we'll continue to flag 7 priorities: Mental health commitment, Societal crises response, Community-oriented services, The workplace, Climate change, Training standards/regulation and Equality of access including digitalisation.
1 - European Health Union: a new comprehensive approach to mental health https://ec.europa.eu/.../presscorner/detail/%20en/ip_23_3050
2- Considering ‘A New EU Approach To Mental Health’—EFPA responds to the European Commission's statement on the EU’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health - https://www.efpa.eu/considering-new-eu-approach-mental...
3 - Mental Health in all Policies Stakeholders Network https://www.mhe-sme.org/join-the-mental-health-in-all.../