"No Social Inclusion without Mental Health", MHE event at the European parliament
Mental
Health Europe (MHE) together with John Bowis, Member of the European
Parliament (MEP), hosted a special event dedicated to the exploration
of issues around mental health and mental well-being in the European
Union on 13 September 2006 at the European Parliament in Brussels. The
event with the title "No Social Inclusion without Mental
Health" was attended by MEPs, Council Health
Attachés as well as representatives from the European
Commission cabinets of Commissioner M. Wallström
(Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy) and Commissioner
V. Spidla (Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities).
The event was chaired by John Bowis (Group of the European People's Party – Christian Democrats – and European Democrats, United Kingdom). Bowis is the author of a report based on the European Commission Green Paper on Mental Health, which was unanimously adopted on 13 July 2006 by the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public health and Food Safety.
In his opening speech, Bowis underlined that the Green Paper on Mental Health should be warmly welcomed and endorsed since it represents the very first attempt, at the European level, to tackle the burden of mental illness and give mental health a high priority on the European political agenda. However, there is also still a long way to go. Difficult decisions will have to be made and audacious actions will have to be undertaken if we want to divert more political attention and financial resources to mental health.
Malgorzata Kmita, President of MHE, presented the keynote speech of the evening. She highlighted that mental health problems can affect all of us at different stages in life, but that it appears to be the case that those people experiencing the most stressful social and economic environments are most adversely affected and most susceptible to mental ill-health and mental dis-ease. The situation is exacerbated by the popular misconception that mental illness is a sign of personal weakness or even a moral failure.
Malgorzata Kmita concluded by stating her belief mental health is not just about an absence of mental illness, but that it is about the presence of mental health and well being at both the personal and social levels, based on solid foundations which include prevention, promotion and appropriate intervention strategies at all levels of society including schools, the family, employment, communities, churches and temples, health and socio-economic settings.
Both speeches were followed by lively discussions and question-times.
A complete report on the event will be available soon on the MHE website.
For more information: MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
The event was chaired by John Bowis (Group of the European People's Party – Christian Democrats – and European Democrats, United Kingdom). Bowis is the author of a report based on the European Commission Green Paper on Mental Health, which was unanimously adopted on 13 July 2006 by the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public health and Food Safety.
In his opening speech, Bowis underlined that the Green Paper on Mental Health should be warmly welcomed and endorsed since it represents the very first attempt, at the European level, to tackle the burden of mental illness and give mental health a high priority on the European political agenda. However, there is also still a long way to go. Difficult decisions will have to be made and audacious actions will have to be undertaken if we want to divert more political attention and financial resources to mental health.
Malgorzata Kmita, President of MHE, presented the keynote speech of the evening. She highlighted that mental health problems can affect all of us at different stages in life, but that it appears to be the case that those people experiencing the most stressful social and economic environments are most adversely affected and most susceptible to mental ill-health and mental dis-ease. The situation is exacerbated by the popular misconception that mental illness is a sign of personal weakness or even a moral failure.
Malgorzata Kmita concluded by stating her belief mental health is not just about an absence of mental illness, but that it is about the presence of mental health and well being at both the personal and social levels, based on solid foundations which include prevention, promotion and appropriate intervention strategies at all levels of society including schools, the family, employment, communities, churches and temples, health and socio-economic settings.
Both speeches were followed by lively discussions and question-times.
A complete report on the event will be available soon on the MHE website.
For more information: MHE Secretariat, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
REMINDER - Proposal for the setting up of a MHE Committee on Ethnic Minority Groups and Mental Health
During their meeting in July,
members of the MHE Executive Committee agreed to explore possibilities
for setting up a MHE Committee to work specifically on "Ethnic Minority
Groups and Mental Health".
The objective of this committee would be to look at the mental health needs of ethnic minority groups in Europe. One of the outcomes could be the submission of a project proposal prepared by the Committee to the European Commission.
In a first phase, this Committee would mainly work by e-mail. Members could meet once a year during MHE General Assembly or conference.
MHE is looking for key persons/specialists in this field that would be interested in setting up such a body.
If you think you can help, please contact the MHE Secretariat: Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
The objective of this committee would be to look at the mental health needs of ethnic minority groups in Europe. One of the outcomes could be the submission of a project proposal prepared by the Committee to the European Commission.
In a first phase, this Committee would mainly work by e-mail. Members could meet once a year during MHE General Assembly or conference.
MHE is looking for key persons/specialists in this field that would be interested in setting up such a body.
If you think you can help, please contact the MHE Secretariat: Tel +32 2 280 04 68, E-mail info@mhe-sme.org
Minutes from the MHE Seminar
Dear Readers,
We are pleased to inform you that the minutes of the MHE Seminar "The EC Green Paper on Mental Health: Time for Action!", which took place in Brussels on 12 May, are now available on the MHE website. The French version will be posted soon.
To directly access the minutes:
http://www.mhe-sme.org/en/publications/Minutes_MHE%20Seminar%2012.05.06.pdf
We are pleased to inform you that the minutes of the MHE Seminar "The EC Green Paper on Mental Health: Time for Action!", which took place in Brussels on 12 May, are now available on the MHE website. The French version will be posted soon.
To directly access the minutes:
http://www.mhe-sme.org/en/publications/Minutes_MHE%20Seminar%2012.05.06.pdf
MHE Project in the Cypriot Press
The
transnational exchange project "Good Practices for Combating
Social Exclusion of People with Mental Health Problems", led
by MHE in the frame of the EU Community Action Programme to Combat
Social Exclusion, has made the headlines. Thanks to the efforts of the
project partner Elise Torossian from the Advocacy Group for the
Mentally Ill (Cyprus) articles about the project have been published in
three different Cypriot newspapers with the title: "People with mental
health problems find themselves before closed doors. Prejudices
continue to keep them marginalised".
The articles focused on the outcomes of the analyses of the situation of social exclusion of people with mental health problems, which have been carried out by the project partners earlier this year, highlighting the fact that social exclusion of people with mental health problems represents a major problem in all the ten partner countries involved in the present project. In all countries, there are some few isolated good practices that can be found, no matter whether in the "old" or "new"EU Member States. However, in all the countries there is also an ongoing, urgent need for concerted efforts and actions to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems, i.e. to create a society in which all the people enjoy a high level of mental health, live as full citizens and have access to appropriate services and support when needed.
For more information: contact person, Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, e-mail sogol.noorani@mhe-sme.org
The articles focused on the outcomes of the analyses of the situation of social exclusion of people with mental health problems, which have been carried out by the project partners earlier this year, highlighting the fact that social exclusion of people with mental health problems represents a major problem in all the ten partner countries involved in the present project. In all countries, there are some few isolated good practices that can be found, no matter whether in the "old" or "new"EU Member States. However, in all the countries there is also an ongoing, urgent need for concerted efforts and actions to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems, i.e. to create a society in which all the people enjoy a high level of mental health, live as full citizens and have access to appropriate services and support when needed.
For more information: contact person, Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Tel +32 2 280 04 68, e-mail sogol.noorani@mhe-sme.org
European Commission conference on the European Social Fund and Disability
On 21
September, the European Commission organised a conference in Brussels
(Belgium), on the European Social Fund (ESF) and Disability.
The ESF was established in 1957, and it is the main financial instrument of the EU to promote employability and investment in human capital. The ESF plays a major role in helping people improve their situation in the labour market by promoting access to employment for job seekers and inactive people, giving particular emphasis to people at risk of social exclusion. In this context special attention has been given to actions addressed to people with disabilities which support their entry into and sustain their participation in the labour market.
The conference aimed at informing participants of the possibilities offered by the Structural Funds, particularly the ESF, for the next programming period 2007-2013 to support employment, training and equal opportunities for disabled people as well as the development of an accessible environment. The conference highlighted and disseminated examples of good practices in disability-related actions and helped to develop the mainstream approach to disability in future ESF programmes.
The conference gathered participants from a wide range of sectors: disability organisations’ representatives, public authorities, members of the European Social Fund Committees, government representatives, academic researchers and disability social services providers.
They were all informed about the importance of securing accessibility and non-discrimination in the preparation, implementation and monitoring process throughout the Structural Funds, in particular the European Social Fund.
The major outcome of the conference was a contribution to the design of a toolkit to evaluate the accessibility of ESF projects for people with disabilities which will be developed under the 2nd EU Disability Action Plan (Communication from the European Commission on the situation of disabled people in the enlarged Europe: The European Action Plan 2006-2007 – COM/2005/604 of 28.11.2005).
The toolkit will contain guidance to support Member States and project promoters in preparing and implementing their programmes and projects. It will provide information on good practices from existing ESF programmes and projects.
Elisabeth Muschik, MHE board member, represented MHE at this conference.
For more information: the European Commission's website, http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/esf2000/index_en.html
Source: European Commission's note on the conference
The ESF was established in 1957, and it is the main financial instrument of the EU to promote employability and investment in human capital. The ESF plays a major role in helping people improve their situation in the labour market by promoting access to employment for job seekers and inactive people, giving particular emphasis to people at risk of social exclusion. In this context special attention has been given to actions addressed to people with disabilities which support their entry into and sustain their participation in the labour market.
The conference aimed at informing participants of the possibilities offered by the Structural Funds, particularly the ESF, for the next programming period 2007-2013 to support employment, training and equal opportunities for disabled people as well as the development of an accessible environment. The conference highlighted and disseminated examples of good practices in disability-related actions and helped to develop the mainstream approach to disability in future ESF programmes.
The conference gathered participants from a wide range of sectors: disability organisations’ representatives, public authorities, members of the European Social Fund Committees, government representatives, academic researchers and disability social services providers.
They were all informed about the importance of securing accessibility and non-discrimination in the preparation, implementation and monitoring process throughout the Structural Funds, in particular the European Social Fund.
The major outcome of the conference was a contribution to the design of a toolkit to evaluate the accessibility of ESF projects for people with disabilities which will be developed under the 2nd EU Disability Action Plan (Communication from the European Commission on the situation of disabled people in the enlarged Europe: The European Action Plan 2006-2007 – COM/2005/604 of 28.11.2005).
The toolkit will contain guidance to support Member States and project promoters in preparing and implementing their programmes and projects. It will provide information on good practices from existing ESF programmes and projects.
Elisabeth Muschik, MHE board member, represented MHE at this conference.
For more information: the European Commission's website, http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/esf2000/index_en.html
Source: European Commission's note on the conference
MHE representation at various meetings
On 12
September Mari Fresu, Project Coordinator, gave a presentation on "Mental
Health: EU Policies and Practice" at the South Norway EU
Office (Brussels) for a group of people working in the field of mental
health at regional level in Norway.
On 13 September, Malgorzata Kmita, President, and Mary Van Dievel, Director, gave an interview to a Polish journalist. The interview was about the handling of mental health issues at the European level and the work carried out by MHE. The interview was filmed and broadcasted in Poland.
On the same day, Malgorzata Kmita, Claude Deutsch, Board member, Elisabeth Muschik, Board Member, Nace Kovac, Board Member, and the MHE staff took part in a meeting organised by MHE at the European Parliament, on the topic "No social Inclusion without Mental Health". The event was chaired by John Bowis, Member of the European Parliament.
On 18 September, Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Mari Fresu and Fanny Muller, information Officer, attended a web management training performed by Benjamin Toussaint, from Hypernovae.
On 21 September, Elisabeth Muschik represented MHE at the European Commission's Conference on the European Social Fund and Disability, organised in Brussels (Belgium).
On 22-23 September, Mary Van Dievel attended the final partners and Consortium meeting for the EMIP project (Implementation of Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Policies and Strategies in EU Member States) in Tallinn (Estonia).
On 27 September Mary Van Dievel attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Julie Renson Foundation in Antwerp (Belgium). Theme of the meeting was dementia and Alzheimer disease.
On 28 September, Mary Van Dievel participated in the Social Platform's preparation meeting for the study visit in Slovenia.
On 29 September, Sogol Noorani participated in the preparation meeting of the next Social Inclusion Roundtable that will take place in Tampere (Finland).
On 13 September, Malgorzata Kmita, President, and Mary Van Dievel, Director, gave an interview to a Polish journalist. The interview was about the handling of mental health issues at the European level and the work carried out by MHE. The interview was filmed and broadcasted in Poland.
On the same day, Malgorzata Kmita, Claude Deutsch, Board member, Elisabeth Muschik, Board Member, Nace Kovac, Board Member, and the MHE staff took part in a meeting organised by MHE at the European Parliament, on the topic "No social Inclusion without Mental Health". The event was chaired by John Bowis, Member of the European Parliament.
On 18 September, Sogol Noorani, Project Coordinator, Mari Fresu and Fanny Muller, information Officer, attended a web management training performed by Benjamin Toussaint, from Hypernovae.
On 21 September, Elisabeth Muschik represented MHE at the European Commission's Conference on the European Social Fund and Disability, organised in Brussels (Belgium).
On 22-23 September, Mary Van Dievel attended the final partners and Consortium meeting for the EMIP project (Implementation of Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Policies and Strategies in EU Member States) in Tallinn (Estonia).
On 27 September Mary Van Dievel attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Julie Renson Foundation in Antwerp (Belgium). Theme of the meeting was dementia and Alzheimer disease.
On 28 September, Mary Van Dievel participated in the Social Platform's preparation meeting for the study visit in Slovenia.
On 29 September, Sogol Noorani participated in the preparation meeting of the next Social Inclusion Roundtable that will take place in Tampere (Finland).