MHE Issues First Report on Good Practices for Combating Social Exclusion of People with Mental Health Problems
MHE is carrying out the EU-funded project "Good Practices for Combating Social Exclusion of People with Mental Health Problems". Initial outcomes of the project resulting from the analysis of the situation of social exclusion of people with mental health problems confirm that social exclusion of people with mental health problems represents a major problem in all the ten partner countries.
Further points following from the analysis include:
- the great lack of transparent communication, exchange of information and well-coordinated cooperation between the different stakeholders in all the partner countries – especially between the users (and their families and carers) and NGOs working with them on the one hand and governmental players on the other hand
- the urgent need for concerted efforts and actions to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems by means of good practices
- the importance of taking the complexity of social exclusion of people with mental health problems into account and to respond to it adequately
- the need for involvement, participation and evaluation of people with mental health problems in the process of decision making in the area of social inclusion
- the importance to formulate policies with adequate grass-root involvement
The full report on the situation of social exclusion of people with mental health problems can be downloaded here: click here to download report
For further information please contact Sogol Noorani at MHE: sogol.noorani@mhe-sme.org, +32 2 280 04 68
EC Green Paper on Mental Health – MHE’s Response: An EU Strategy on Mental Health and Well Being
MHE invited
many organisations and people (MHE members, other organisations active
in the field of mental health, and a variety of stakeholders in civil
society) to have their say on the European Commission Green Paper on
Mental Health.
A synthesis of the responses received was sent to the European Commission on 30 May and circulated for information to a large audience.
The full text of MHE’s response and a summary of the reactions received will be soon posted on the MHE’s website. We will keep you informed in the next issue of the Newsletter.
In brief:
MHE welcomes the objectives of the Green Paper and strongly believes that the EU needs to develop a comprehensive strategy on the mental health of the population. In particular MHE would like to comment on the title of the proposed Strategy by introducing the title of “EU Strategy on Mental Health and Well Being” for all populations. MHE believes it is important to ensure a public health approach to positive mental health for all in the EU.
MHE believes that a holistic and more coherent approach to public mental health will add value to existing and envisaged initiatives. MHE endorses the priorities set out in section 5 of the Green Paper and makes a number of considerations.
MHE also believes that the initiatives proposed in sections 6 and 7 are appropriate and puts forward some recommendations.
We want to send a sincere "thank you" to those organisations and individuals who took the time to formulate their view on this important issue.
But most of all we do hope that our comments will be taken into account in the future EU Strategy on Mental Health and Well Being.
For more information: contact person, Mari Fresu, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-Mail mari.fresu@mhe-sme.org
A synthesis of the responses received was sent to the European Commission on 30 May and circulated for information to a large audience.
The full text of MHE’s response and a summary of the reactions received will be soon posted on the MHE’s website. We will keep you informed in the next issue of the Newsletter.
In brief:
MHE welcomes the objectives of the Green Paper and strongly believes that the EU needs to develop a comprehensive strategy on the mental health of the population. In particular MHE would like to comment on the title of the proposed Strategy by introducing the title of “EU Strategy on Mental Health and Well Being” for all populations. MHE believes it is important to ensure a public health approach to positive mental health for all in the EU.
MHE believes that a holistic and more coherent approach to public mental health will add value to existing and envisaged initiatives. MHE endorses the priorities set out in section 5 of the Green Paper and makes a number of considerations.
MHE also believes that the initiatives proposed in sections 6 and 7 are appropriate and puts forward some recommendations.
We want to send a sincere "thank you" to those organisations and individuals who took the time to formulate their view on this important issue.
But most of all we do hope that our comments will be taken into account in the future EU Strategy on Mental Health and Well Being.
For more information: contact person, Mari Fresu, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-Mail mari.fresu@mhe-sme.org
MHE has a new Board and Executive Committee!
At
MHE’s General Assembly held on 13 May 2006 in Brussels, the
election of the new Board for Mental Health Europe was confirmed.
The new list of Board members is as follows:
- Victor Aparicio Basauri, Associacion Española de - Neuropsiquiatria, Spain
- Claude Deutsch, Advocacy France
- Sandra Grant, InterMinds, Scotland
- Brian Howard, Mental Health Ireland
- Marianne Carisius Kastrup, SIND, Denmark
- Luigi Leonori, SMES-Europa, Belgium
- Malgorzata Kmita, United Kingdom
- Nace Kovac, SENT, Slovenia
- Elisabeth Muschik, Pro Mente Austria
- Petr Nawka, Integra, Slovakia
- Pino Pini, AISMe, Italy
- Marita Ruohonen, the Finnish Association for Mental Health
- Kristina Salonen, Finland
- Dimitris Tataridis, Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health, Greece
- Colette Versporten, Belgium
At the Board meeting following the General Assembly, the new Executive Committee members were elected:
- President: Malgorzata Kmita
- Vice-President: Elisabeth Muschik
- Secretary: Nace Kovac
- Treasurer: Colette
5th Executive Committee member without portfolio: Brian Howard.
Ex officio:
- John Henderson, Senior Policy Adviser
- Josée Van Remoortel, Senior Policy Adviser
- Mary Van Dievel, Director.
Our warmest congratulations to the new Board members and Executive Committee!
The new list of Board members is as follows:
- Victor Aparicio Basauri, Associacion Española de - Neuropsiquiatria, Spain
- Claude Deutsch, Advocacy France
- Sandra Grant, InterMinds, Scotland
- Brian Howard, Mental Health Ireland
- Marianne Carisius Kastrup, SIND, Denmark
- Luigi Leonori, SMES-Europa, Belgium
- Malgorzata Kmita, United Kingdom
- Nace Kovac, SENT, Slovenia
- Elisabeth Muschik, Pro Mente Austria
- Petr Nawka, Integra, Slovakia
- Pino Pini, AISMe, Italy
- Marita Ruohonen, the Finnish Association for Mental Health
- Kristina Salonen, Finland
- Dimitris Tataridis, Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health, Greece
- Colette Versporten, Belgium
At the Board meeting following the General Assembly, the new Executive Committee members were elected:
- President: Malgorzata Kmita
- Vice-President: Elisabeth Muschik
- Secretary: Nace Kovac
- Treasurer: Colette
5th Executive Committee member without portfolio: Brian Howard.
Ex officio:
- John Henderson, Senior Policy Adviser
- Josée Van Remoortel, Senior Policy Adviser
- Mary Van Dievel, Director.
Our warmest congratulations to the new Board members and Executive Committee!
Joint Meeting European Advisory Committee and Partners of the Project Good Practices for Combating Social Exclusion of People with Mental Health Problems
The third project meeting was
organised in Brussels, on 12 May. It was attended by all the partner
organisations, the members of the European Advisory Committee
– representatives from AGE, CEFEC, EAPN, EDF, ENUSP,
EuroPsy-Rehabilitation, InterMinds – as well as the MHE team
consisting of Josée Van Remoortel, Mary Van Dievel, John
Henderson, Malgorzata Kmita and Sogol Noorani.
Josée Van Remoortel gave an introduction to the aims and objectives of the meeting. It was intended to serve as an opportunity for the project partners to present some of the identified good practices and to evaluate them together with the members of the European Advisory Committee as well as to discuss ways how and where to look for further good practices combating the social exclusion of people with mental health problems. The aim of the meeting was also to discuss future strategies and possibilities of collaboration in the area or social inclusion between MHE and its project partners and the Advisory Committee.
After an introduction round of all the participants, Sogol Noorani gave an overview of the project and the activities that have been carried out so far, followed by the presentation of good practices identified by the project partners in each country. The presented good practices cover a range of initiatives such as early awareness raising activities, a user-led and self-funded social club offering various activities, user-led anti-stigma activities using the media as a tool, a “social firm” employing people with mental health problems and placing them on the open market, or a therapeutic community initiative preparing people with mental health problems for life in the community.
In the following discussion of the good practices and future strategies of work it was agreed that with regard to the upcoming June Summit of the European Council the discussion of social inclusion of people with mental health problems should be intensified on a political level through collaboration with other European networks that carry out projects in this field such as AGE, EAPN and the Social Platform. The special challenge in the area of mental health and social inclusion is that the issue related to all sorts of dimensions, age, ethnicity, poverty etc. This interconnection needs to be communicated to the policy makers.
There are existing good practices in all countries, but often these are one-shot projects that are being carried out in isolation. Thus, it is important not only to strengthen the connection between different sectors in one country but also between good practices and projects and to support their collaboration.
For more information: Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail sogol.noorani@mhe-sme.org
Josée Van Remoortel gave an introduction to the aims and objectives of the meeting. It was intended to serve as an opportunity for the project partners to present some of the identified good practices and to evaluate them together with the members of the European Advisory Committee as well as to discuss ways how and where to look for further good practices combating the social exclusion of people with mental health problems. The aim of the meeting was also to discuss future strategies and possibilities of collaboration in the area or social inclusion between MHE and its project partners and the Advisory Committee.
After an introduction round of all the participants, Sogol Noorani gave an overview of the project and the activities that have been carried out so far, followed by the presentation of good practices identified by the project partners in each country. The presented good practices cover a range of initiatives such as early awareness raising activities, a user-led and self-funded social club offering various activities, user-led anti-stigma activities using the media as a tool, a “social firm” employing people with mental health problems and placing them on the open market, or a therapeutic community initiative preparing people with mental health problems for life in the community.
In the following discussion of the good practices and future strategies of work it was agreed that with regard to the upcoming June Summit of the European Council the discussion of social inclusion of people with mental health problems should be intensified on a political level through collaboration with other European networks that carry out projects in this field such as AGE, EAPN and the Social Platform. The special challenge in the area of mental health and social inclusion is that the issue related to all sorts of dimensions, age, ethnicity, poverty etc. This interconnection needs to be communicated to the policy makers.
There are existing good practices in all countries, but often these are one-shot projects that are being carried out in isolation. Thus, it is important not only to strengthen the connection between different sectors in one country but also between good practices and projects and to support their collaboration.
For more information: Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail sogol.noorani@mhe-sme.org
MHE seminar “The EC Green Paper on Mental Health: Time for Action!”
This seminar held in
Brussels on 12 May 2006 aimed at taking stock of and to discuss the
various reactions that MHE received from its member organisations and
other stakeholders. MHE stressed once more the importance of promoting
and maintaining good mental health and well being, and to stress the
importance of a Public Health approach to positive mental health for
populations in the Member States of the European Union.
The seminar also provided the participants a general overview of the work and activities carried out by the European Coalition for Community Living, the Europe-wide initiative working towards the social inclusion of people with disabilities by promoting the provision of comprehensive, quality community-based services as an alternative to institutionalisation.
The third and last session of the seminar was devoted to a debate on involuntary treatment in the community and included interesting contributions from a mental health organisation, an organisation of mental health professionals and last but not least, from (ex)users of mental health services.
The full report of this seminar will be posted on Mental Health Europe’s website and will probably be available from the end of June on. We hope to give you the link in our next Newsletter.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
The seminar also provided the participants a general overview of the work and activities carried out by the European Coalition for Community Living, the Europe-wide initiative working towards the social inclusion of people with disabilities by promoting the provision of comprehensive, quality community-based services as an alternative to institutionalisation.
The third and last session of the seminar was devoted to a debate on involuntary treatment in the community and included interesting contributions from a mental health organisation, an organisation of mental health professionals and last but not least, from (ex)users of mental health services.
The full report of this seminar will be posted on Mental Health Europe’s website and will probably be available from the end of June on. We hope to give you the link in our next Newsletter.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
MHE General Assembly
The MHE General Assembly was
held in Brussels on Saturday 13 May.
The usual business agenda was covered (adoption of accounts, balance, budget, annual report, programme of activities for 2006-2007) and the amount of the membership fees for 2007 was set.
MHE’s revised internal rules were presented and discussed and the final version was approved.
Elisabeth Muschik presented MHE’s next conference to be held in Vienna on 31 May-2 June 2007. Theme of the conference will be “No Health without Mental Health – From Slogan to Reality”.
MHE members were strongly encouraged to attend this conference and to send their suggestions for workshops and speakers.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
19th MHE Board meeting
A Board meeting was held after the General Assembly.
First point on the agenda was the election of the new Executive Committee (cf above).
The Membership and Accreditation Committee (Paul Arteel, Belgium; Athena Frangouli, Greece; Mariano Hernandez, Spain; Vesna Svab, Slovenia) was re-elected, with Inge Schoeck (Germany) as new member, replacing Kristina Salonen. Josée Van Remoortel was reconfirmed as Chair of this Committee.
The programme for the MHE Vienna conference was further discussed and plans were made for the MHE 2008 conference.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
The usual business agenda was covered (adoption of accounts, balance, budget, annual report, programme of activities for 2006-2007) and the amount of the membership fees for 2007 was set.
MHE’s revised internal rules were presented and discussed and the final version was approved.
Elisabeth Muschik presented MHE’s next conference to be held in Vienna on 31 May-2 June 2007. Theme of the conference will be “No Health without Mental Health – From Slogan to Reality”.
MHE members were strongly encouraged to attend this conference and to send their suggestions for workshops and speakers.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
19th MHE Board meeting
A Board meeting was held after the General Assembly.
First point on the agenda was the election of the new Executive Committee (cf above).
The Membership and Accreditation Committee (Paul Arteel, Belgium; Athena Frangouli, Greece; Mariano Hernandez, Spain; Vesna Svab, Slovenia) was re-elected, with Inge Schoeck (Germany) as new member, replacing Kristina Salonen. Josée Van Remoortel was reconfirmed as Chair of this Committee.
The programme for the MHE Vienna conference was further discussed and plans were made for the MHE 2008 conference.
For more information: the MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
MHE representation at various meetings
On 3 May
Mari Fresu, project coordinator, attended the European Public Health
Alliance Policy Coordination meeting.
The MHE Finance Committee, including Colette Versporten, Treasurer, Josée Van Remoortel, Senior Policy Adviser, Benoit Broekmans, accountant and Mary Van Dievel, Director, met on 4 May to discuss accounts and balance 2005 and budget 2006 and to prepare the comments to the financial situation and the report of the Finance Committee.
On 11 May Mary Van Dievel met successively with John Henderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Claude Deutsch, MHE President and Brian Howard, MHE Board member and member of the MHE Finance Committee.
On 12 May the Executive Committee members, Sogol Noorani, project coordinator, and Mary Van Dievel met with the partners of the “Good Practices to combat social exclusion” project and the European Advisory Committee for this project (cf above)
On 12 and 13 May, the Seminar, General Assembly and Board meeting were held (cf above).
On 15 May Elisabeth Muschik, Vice President, attended the Social Platform Steering Group meeting in Brussels.
On 16 May, Josée Van Remoortel attended the European Disability Forum Task Force on Community Living.
On 17 May, Josée Van Remoortel, John Henderson, Claude Deutsch, Fanny Muller, Information Officer, Sogol Noorani and Mary Van Dievel attended the workshop organised by the European Coalition for Community Living “The Right to Live in the Community - Towards a European Strategy on de-institutionalisation of people with disabilities”. (report to follow)
On 18 and 19 May, John Henderson attended the 3rd Thematic meeting on the EC Green Paper on “Data and Knowledge in mental health”.
On 23 May Mary Van Dievel attended the symposium on management of change and leadership in mental health organised in Ellecom (Netherlands) in honour of Aart Jan Vrijlandt’s retirement from the mental health institution GGNet. Aart Jan Vrijlandt is a former Board member and President of MHE.
On 24 May Mary Van Dievel met with Diana Andersen from the North Denmark region to discuss the possibility of organising MHE’s 2008 conference in Denmark.
On 26-28 May, Josée Van Remoortel attended the European Disability Forum’s General Assembly and Board meetings in Rome, Italy.
On 27-28 May Malgorzata Kmita represented MHE in Mental Health Ireland’s annual conference in Wexford.
On 30 May Mary Van Dievel attended a meeting organised by the Austrian Chamber of Employment in Brussels on “Anti-discrimination and equal opportunities: where is Europe heading?”.
On 31 May Mari Fresu attended the press conference organised by EUFAMI and Rethink in European Parliament in Brussels, on the EC Green Paper on Mental Health.
The same day, May Mary Van Dievel attended the 2nd preparatory meeting for the Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion to be held in Tampere, Finland, in October 2006.
The MHE Finance Committee, including Colette Versporten, Treasurer, Josée Van Remoortel, Senior Policy Adviser, Benoit Broekmans, accountant and Mary Van Dievel, Director, met on 4 May to discuss accounts and balance 2005 and budget 2006 and to prepare the comments to the financial situation and the report of the Finance Committee.
On 11 May Mary Van Dievel met successively with John Henderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Claude Deutsch, MHE President and Brian Howard, MHE Board member and member of the MHE Finance Committee.
On 12 May the Executive Committee members, Sogol Noorani, project coordinator, and Mary Van Dievel met with the partners of the “Good Practices to combat social exclusion” project and the European Advisory Committee for this project (cf above)
On 12 and 13 May, the Seminar, General Assembly and Board meeting were held (cf above).
On 15 May Elisabeth Muschik, Vice President, attended the Social Platform Steering Group meeting in Brussels.
On 16 May, Josée Van Remoortel attended the European Disability Forum Task Force on Community Living.
On 17 May, Josée Van Remoortel, John Henderson, Claude Deutsch, Fanny Muller, Information Officer, Sogol Noorani and Mary Van Dievel attended the workshop organised by the European Coalition for Community Living “The Right to Live in the Community - Towards a European Strategy on de-institutionalisation of people with disabilities”. (report to follow)
On 18 and 19 May, John Henderson attended the 3rd Thematic meeting on the EC Green Paper on “Data and Knowledge in mental health”.
On 23 May Mary Van Dievel attended the symposium on management of change and leadership in mental health organised in Ellecom (Netherlands) in honour of Aart Jan Vrijlandt’s retirement from the mental health institution GGNet. Aart Jan Vrijlandt is a former Board member and President of MHE.
On 24 May Mary Van Dievel met with Diana Andersen from the North Denmark region to discuss the possibility of organising MHE’s 2008 conference in Denmark.
On 26-28 May, Josée Van Remoortel attended the European Disability Forum’s General Assembly and Board meetings in Rome, Italy.
On 27-28 May Malgorzata Kmita represented MHE in Mental Health Ireland’s annual conference in Wexford.
On 30 May Mary Van Dievel attended a meeting organised by the Austrian Chamber of Employment in Brussels on “Anti-discrimination and equal opportunities: where is Europe heading?”.
On 31 May Mari Fresu attended the press conference organised by EUFAMI and Rethink in European Parliament in Brussels, on the EC Green Paper on Mental Health.
The same day, May Mary Van Dievel attended the 2nd preparatory meeting for the Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion to be held in Tampere, Finland, in October 2006.