MHE Conference 2010 "Challenging Poverty-Creating Hope Breaking the cycle of poverty and mental health problems"
Under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde
We are pleased to invite you to the Mental Health Europe 2010 conference on poverty and mental health problems which will be held at Hotel Thon in Brussels on 22-23 October 2010.
This conference is organised in the frame of the European Year 2010 against Poverty and Social Exclusion. Co-organisers are the Flemish Association for Mental Health (VVGG) and the Walloon Institute for Mental Health (IWSM).The conference is supported by the European Commission's PROGRESS Programme.
This theme was selected because research has shown clear bidirectional links between mental health problems and poverty. People experiencing poverty are particularly vulnerable towards developing mental health problems. Conversely people with existing mental health problems are more likely to experience poverty.
Parallel sessions will be organised on a series of topics that are closely related to the theme. Field workers and experts from various European countries will present and exchange their experiences and good practices on overcoming the vicious cycle of poverty and mental health problems.
Mental Health and Poverty
The essential dimension of mental health is clear from the definition of health in the WHO constitution : « Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Mental health is an integral part of this definition.
Mental health is determined by socio-economic and environmental factors. The clearest indicators of poverty are low levels of education, poor housing and poor income. Increasing and persisting socio-economic disadvantages for individuals and for communities are recognised risks to mental health.
Substance abuse, violence and abuse of women and children on the one hand, and depression and anxiety on the other, are more prevalent and more difficult to cope with in conditions of high unemployment, low income, limited education, social exclusion and human rights violations.
MENTAL HEALTH EUROPE WILL BE CELEBRATING ITS 25th ANNIVERSARY
MHE will celebrate its 25th anniversary during the conference, on Friday afternoon 22nd October 2010. The “anniversary session” will start with a presentation of the history of Mental Health Europe and a tribute to John Henderson and Edith Morgan.
This will be followed by a Round Table debate with Members of European Parliament and representatives of the European Commission’s Directorates General that are relevant to the mental health sector, on the future of mental health in Europe. This theme is particularly important in the frame of the EU Pact on Mental Health and Well-being, and the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in which we would like to see a more “social” component.
We hope you will find theme and programme of interest and that you will join us at this important event.
Nace Kovac, President MHE
Mary van Dievel, Director MHE
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