MHE representatives met European Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and her cabinet

On Monday 24th January, representatives from Mental Health Europe including Catherine Brogan (President), Claudia Marinetti (Director), Dominique de Marné (MHE Senior Policy Advisor on Youth) and Fatima Awil (Policy & Knowledge Officer) held a meeting with the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, and her cabinet.

On Monday 24^th January, representatives from Mental Health Europe including Catherine Brogan (President), Claudia Marinetti (Director), Dominique de Marné (MHE Senior Policy Advisors on Youth) and Fatima Awil (Policy & Knowledge Officer) held a meeting with the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, and her cabinet.

This meeting was a great opportunity to discuss priorities in mental health across the European Union (EU). Mental health problems were already an issue in the EU before the current pandemic and without the right actions they will remain so once we start to transition to a post-pandemic world.

The exchange focused not only on the importance of putting mental health as a key priority for Europe now and in the future, but also on synergies to support those most in need.  MHE representatives were pleased with the meeting and the common will to continue raising awareness and strengthening community support for people across the EU.

MHE has long advocated for better support for persons with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities, their families, and caregivers.  Our new strategic plan (2022-2025) aims to ensure we can achieve our ambitions regarding mental health in all policies, mainstreaming human and disability rights, intersectionality and taking care of the specific needs of certain groups facing vulnerable situations.

An important and key outcome of the discussion was the agreement to hold regular meetings going forward.  The Commissioner also indicated interest in upcoming MHE activities and work such as the annual European Mental Health Awareness Week in May, activities involving experts by experience in mental health, as well as actions addressing intersectionality (gender, age, migration, etc.).

On behalf of our members, mental health service users and (ex)users and their supporters, mental health professionals and service providers, and human rights experts, we are looking forward to regular exchanges with the Commissioner and her cabinet to renew our efforts and find pragmatic ways to achieve concrete results for everyone in Europe and especially the most vulnerable.

There is no health without mental health. We need to act together for strategies and policies that improve mental health and protect rights for all in Europe.