The European Pact for Mental Health launched the 13 June 2008, calling for partnership in action.
At the High Level Conference on Mental Health in Brussels on 13 June, Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassilou launched a new pact for mental health. The pact is the fruit of collaboration between the European Commission, the Slovenian Presidency and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. The Pact aims to develop commonly supported recommendations in five areas:
– Prevention of suicide and depression
– Mental health in youth and education
– Mental health in workplace settings
– Mental health in older people
– Combating stigma and social exclusion
The pact has been developed to support the aims of the Helsinki Declaration and as a follow-up initiative to the consultation on the Commission’s Green Paper of 2005- Improving the Mental health of the Population.
It highlights the relevance of mental health for public health, learning, productivity and social cohesion in the EU. It expresses the willingness of high-level governmental and non-governmental actors in the EU to work together in addressing mental health.
Mental health is an important issue in the EU, with an estimated 11% of all Europeans experiencing some form of mental illness each year. There are both high social and economic costs of mental health problems, such as depression. Suicide is now a bigger cause of premature death than traffic accidents, and 90% of the suicides are associated with mental disorders.
There is a strong need for partnerships and action to prevent mental diseases and to support those living with a mental disease.
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For further reading:
European Pact for Mental Health and well-being
[Androulla Vassiliou’s speech “Together for Mental Health and Well-being”
at the High-level conference on Mental Health
Brussels, 13 June 2008->http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/08/332&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en]
Mental Health in the EU – Key facts, figures and activities
European Commission Green paper and consultation
What has the European Commission done in the field of mental health?
Recent and upcoming reports from mental health highlight services and practice throughout Europe
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