Social Inclusion and Mental Health

Mental Health Europe has a history and plays an important role in raising awareness and in combating the stigma, discrimination and social exclusion associated with mental illness. Mainstreaming mental health in the social policy field has become one of MHE's principal activities and a major area of concern for people with mental health problems.

EU developments

In 2000, EU leaders established the Social Inclusion Process to make a decisive impact on eradicating poverty by 2010. Through this process, the European Union coordinates and encourages Member State actions to combat poverty and social exclusion, and to reform their social protection systems on the basis of policy exchanges and mutual learning.

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MHE key activities in this field

MHE's Work Plan for the years 2008-2010 - supported by the PROGRESS Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - has its overall goal to "develop and strengthen MHE's capacities and that of its member organisations, including people with mental health problems, who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, to inform and influence employment and social policy and processes at the local, national, regional and European level with a view to better reflecting the needs of people with mental health problems."

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MHE contact person

For more information on these issues, please contact Astrid Mechel, Social Policy Officer, at the MHE secretariat:

Email astrid.mechel@mhe-sme.org

MHE capacity building seminar for members, Vienna, 30 May 2007, to strengthen MHE members' capacity in their fight against social exclusion of people with mental health problems (May 2007)

Final event of the MHE transnational exchange project "Good Practices for combating social exclusion of people with mental health problems", presented on 01 June 2007 in the frame of the Mental Health Europe Conference 2007 in Vienna (June 2007)

MHE Briefing Meeting with Directors of MHE Mental Health Organisations to provide MHE member organisations with an overview of recent developments in the field of EU social and health policy, and to discuss the establishment of MHE national focal points (April 2008)