The European Commission is putting mental health on par with physical health by introducing 20 flagship initiatives and €1.23 billion in funding. The text of the European Commission’s Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health can be found here.
However, there are still many issues with the content. On a positive note, the attention to prevention and the social determinants of mental health is commendable. There is also a focus on refugees, children, victims of trauma and women, with consideration given to unemployment, loneliness and post-COVID effects.
On a less positive note, there is mention of deinstitutionalization but it is very brief, and the measures to be taken revolve around promoting deinstitutionalization rather than supporting EU member states with concrete steps to achieve it. Similarly, disability is mentioned, but there are no considerations for the accessibility of mental health services for persons with disabilities, such as those who are blind, have mobility issues or are deaf/hard of hearing.
What is missing is the whole human rights dimension, which is crucial for mental health services. References to zero coercion policies, issues of consent and support in realization of legal capacity during mental health crises, training personnel in the human rights of patients, complaints mechanisms and supporting users in defending their rights are all absent. The involvement of persons with lived experience of mental health issues in planning, implementation and monitoring processes through their representative organizations is also lacking.
It appears that there are no acknowledgements of human rights violations and traumatization in mental health services. If these problems are not recognized, it is unlikely that they will be addressed.