A comprehensive approach to mental health

A comprehensive approach to mental health

The offspring of the Coronavirus and the implementation of the security measures needed to confront it, took a heavy toll on the mental health of Europeans. While ongoing debates had taken place before COVID 19 about for a European initiative on the matter, the pandemic marked a turning point. Since 2020, EU funding programs and initiatives (like Healthier Together EU initiative on non-communicable diseases and EU4Health) including mental health have been put in place to address this societal challenge. This year 2023, the European Commission requested evidence from EU countries, sector-specific partners, and stakeholders in order to create a comprehensive and prevention-oriented approach to tackle the raise of mental health issues in the European population. The initiative of the Commission aims at including good mental health practices in more fields and policies, for example environment, education and employment. It responds to President von der Leyen references to developing a EU Strategy on Mental Health for Europe which many EU organisations of the civil society have long advocated for. The launch of this Strategy remains unclear for the moment.

EPR has joined the Thematic Network coordinated by Mental Health Europe and under the EU Health Policy Platform of DG Sante, to inform with good practices from its membership mental health in all policies. The platform online provide access to stakeholders to resources on mental health.