Since its inception EFPA has engaged as an active participant in mental health advocacy throughout Europe and alongside our collaborators internationally. EFPA welcomes a recognition of the importance of ensuring that EU and national policies proactively promote good mental health, as well as work to prevent, mitigate and respond to mental health challenges.
The seven priorities, expanded upon below, are offered as concrete ways to ensure sustained and meaningful EU-level action. Ideally these priorities would become workstreams of a coherent strategy, which could be launched and effectively bound together in the form of an EU Year for Mental Health.
| 1—Mental health commitment |
Mental health should feature in all EU policies, be properly funded (e.g., through EU4Health), and be properly resourced with dedicated unit staff at the European Commission. An EU Year for Mental Health could support a wider public knowledge of the impact of various policies on mental health and be part and parcel of any future initiative. A discussion on mental health commitment. John Francis Leader is a member of EFPA's Executive Council and is Liaison for Mental Health. Watch video > |
| 2—Societal crises response |
Mental health should be a core part of any policy response to current and future societal crises. A discussion on societal crises response. Magda Rooze is the convenor of the Standing Committee Crisis, Disaster and Trauma Psychology and she has been working in the field of crisis and disasters for many years, specifically on the topic of prevention of radicalization, and psychosocial support for victims of terrorism. Watch video > |
| 3—Community-oriented services |
EFPA supports WHO’s call for more community-orientated mental health services and urges the Commission to ensure that a future initiative stimulates EU Member States to exchange ideas and good practice, to learn from each other on how to adapt their mental health service delivery. A discussion on community-oriented services. Felix Bolinski is a research associate at the Trimbos institute, the Dutch institute for mental health and addiction. He was project manager in the Horizon 2020 project RECOVER-E, which focused on the implementation of community-based treatment in five Central and Eastern European Countries. Watch video > |
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4—The Workplace |
Given the central place of work in the lives of European citizens and the importance of economic wellbeing to social wellbeing, mental health in the workplace should be a focus of the future initiative and should be enshrined in health and safety regulations to ensure robust implementation at the national level. A discussion on workplace mental health. Ole Tunold is Secretary General of the Norwegian Psychological Association and EFPA's Vice President / Governance and Work & Organisational Psychology liaison. Watch video > |
| 5—Climate change |
Mental health is indivisible from the challenge of climate change and support programmes for children and young people especially should be introduced. A discussion on climate change psychology. Kinga Dengyel is a Clinical Psychologist for Children and Adolescents, a Perinatal Consultant and a Pro-Environmental Psychologist. Kinga facilitates Schema Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children, adolescents, adults and pregnant women. Watch video > |
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6—Training standards and regulation |
The training of mental health practitioners should be based on a recognised standard, properly funded to ensure enough practitioners to meet citizens’ needs, and their practice properly regulated with requirements to keep up to date through continuing professional development. A discussion on training, standards and regulation. Rosaleen McElvaney is clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, based in Ireland, and is the current chair of the European Awarding Committee for the EuroPsy certificate. Watch video > |
| 7—Equality of access |
European citizens should have equal access to the appropriate mental healthcare and healthcare professionals and should be engaged as partners and stakeholders in how mental health and wellbeing is assured. A discussion on access and digitalisation. Tom Van Daele is head of the Expertise Unit Psychology, Technology & Society at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences and the convenor of the Project Group on eHealth. Watch video > |
The clips above were taken from the event 'European Mental Health: A comprehensive and unified approach' held as part of European Mental Health Week 2023. You can view the entire event here: