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Meeting WP5 Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-beign.

Madrid, 26-27 February 2015


http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/
Work Package 5 Community-based Approaches in Mental Health Care
Ministry of Health, Social Affairs and Equality
During two days the participants discussed the final report. It was a very interesting
meeting, we studied one by one the data and made suggestions. Mine were: Users as
the centre of all the process. Also theres a need to reinforce users participation in all
processes in the UE. This include access to EU Funding. Theres a need to find bindings
of UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities related to desisinstitualization,
discrimination, lost of opportunities, etc. This workshops could be the first step for a
peers to peers training for trainers.
A bigger dimension should be given to the media role in mental health. Guadalupe Morales
could further develop this idea for the Joint Action. I offered myself as an expert on Media and
Estigma and Discrimination, to develop a review of positive projects, actions and campaigns in
the Media against stigma and discrimination and to make suggestions for the next future. The
atmosphere of the meeting was very good. The first day we had dinner altogether in a typical
and very old restaurant in the center of Madrid.
Welcome by High Officer from the Spanish Ministry, Paloma Casado, who said that Spain has a
National Strategy on Mental Health System. Composed by a Cientyfic Committee and an
Institutional Committee. All collectives are involved, including users representative (Guadalupe
Morales). Therere 14 especialized groups. One very important is fight against discrimination,
and community-based care. Spanish Government is the only government involved in this Joint
Action.
WP5 has been very keen in having involved the Spanish model of desintitutialization. That
involved three aspects: Health, Social Aspects and Employment.
Fifteen participants at this meeting in Madrid. Jos Caldas de Almeida, Coordinator (Portugal),
Pedro Mateus, member of the team of coordination
Jos Rodrguez and Isabel Saiz, Officers of Ministry of Health, Social Affairs and Equality
(Portugal), Pedro Montellano, (Portugal) President of Gamian Europe
Angelo Fioris, (Italy), Heinz Katschnig (Austria), Lajos Simon (Hungary), Vladimir Nakov, (Bulgaria)
Terry Madden (Ireland), Indrek Sooniste (Estonia), John Saunders (EUFAMI), Kim Japing (ESN.
University), Pedro Montellano (GAMIAN-Europe), Jose Van Remoortel (Mental Health Europe)
Guadalupe Morales (ENUSP.European Network of (-Ex) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry

Summary
The process of Joint Action WP4 started in March 2014 in Bolonia. The objectives are that the
outcome are recommendations for action for all the EU memberstates. The Joint Action in a
Nutshell: Number of countries: 28. Number of partners: 51 (30 associated and 21
collaborating). Funding: Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) / DG Sanco
Coordination: NOVA Medical School /Faculdade de Cincias Mdicas, Universidade Nova de
Lisboa, Portugal. Start date: February 1, 2013 End Date: January 31, 2016

Objectives
First to give an overview of what is mental health and wellbeign
Second establish a collaborative work
Third Action to contribute to generate political commitment.
Where we come from: Evolution from the past (Green Paper; that never became a White
Paper, EU Mental Health Pact, Thematic Conferences: 2009-11) And finally a Call of the Council
to develop Joint Action in order to put mental health in the agenda of member states.
Different stakeholders are involved. There has been also a new Joint Action Plan in Alcohol or
Chronic Deceases. There were synergies with WHO Action Plan of 2013
Community-based approaches to Mental Health (WP5)
Leader: JM Caldas de Almeida, Nova Medical School/Faculdade Cincias Mdicas, Universidade
Nova de Lisboa (FCM/UNL), Portugal
Number of countries: 9 (plus 6 international organizations)
Number of partners: 16. Countries - institutions: Portugal FCM/UNL, MS-DGS, Spain
Minsitry of Health Social Affairs and Italy AUSL-BO, Bulgaria NCPHA, Hungary SUB,
Austria, Luxembourg - MHL, Cyprus- MHC, Greece, MHE, ENUSP, EUFAMI,ESN, Gamian,
EUREGHA.

Specific topics:
1. Depression, suicide and e-Health WP4
http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/depression-suicide-and-e-health
2. Community Approach, based in social inclusive perspective WP5http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/community-based-approaches (Enusp
participates, but not done anything till January 2015)
3. Promoting mental health at schools WP6http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/mental-health-and-schools
4. Mental Health at the workplace WP7http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/community-based-approaches
5. Including mental health in all policies WP8http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/mental-health-in-all-policies
First Meeting was in Bolonia. Aims:
1. Situation: 27 countries. review of literature, good practices, inventory
2. Establishing and strengthening National and EU Networks
3. Framework for Action
Results: Much more collaboration and partnership, Recommendations for each WP
Creation of a framework for action by: generate political commitment, promote
development of policies and programs, implementation of those.

Each Work Package agreed: in the template, Policy Briefs and in hold workshops and capacity
buildings for dissemination.
Schedule: Beginning of 2016: Final Conference in Lisbon
Lasts months Dissemination

December 2014 (beginning)- Luxembourg. Government experts of 27 member states


in mental health, stakeholders and WHO. Discussion on what had been done. Informed
governments and invite them to discuss first results.
Two meetings: of Responsibles of EU Agencies. Human Rights. Possibility to get
funding from Structural Funds, and other EU funding. Settling kind of collaboration.
January 2015: Interest in Human Rights. Desisinstitutialization. Publications of Living
Independently. CRPD, e-Health. Funding: Structural Funds and National Goverments
Three Parliament Meetings on WP5 with participation of users and families
February 25. Brussels: Key moment. Invitation to all actors to collaborate in mental
health and well beign policy. 45 participants. Missing points. Stressed on Community
Mental Health Care. Defining messages. (Gabrielas report).
Commission: must contribute to create something permanent, a structure to fight for
mental health, facilitating the discussion and incorporating mental health in Health
management.
Call of creation of iniciatives.
After 2016: Green Papers on Fundamental Barriers to health. Link to CRPD, and
binding rights: barriers in the daily life, also economic problems of users. Reinforce
users capacity building. EU shouldnt contemplate any kind of iniciative without taking
first in account Human Rights and in this case: CRPD
Next steps
2015 Capacity Building Workshops
Consider training for users in the capacity building proposals.

Users as the centre of all the process. Also theres a need to reinforce users
participation in all processes in the UE. This include access to EU Funding. Theres a
need to find bindings of UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities related to
desisinstitualization, discrimination, lost of opportunities, etc. This workshops could
be the first step for a peers to peers training for trainers.
Hungary will celebrate a workshop in the second semester of this year. Other Eastern
countries are invited to do so; theres funding for it.

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