On 22-23 May, WHO/Europe, in partnership with the Joint Action on the Implementation of Best Practices in the Field of Mental Health in the European Union (JA ImpleMENTAL) under the Pan-European Mental Health Coalition, will host a workshop in Brussels, Belgium. The event will focus on strengthening leadership and services in mental health.
The workshop aims to promote sustainable change in mental health services to make them more accessible and inclusive at all stages of life. The workshop will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives of Pan-European Mental Health Alliance and JA ImpleMENTAL countries, organisational representatives and people with lived experience of mental health illness.
The first day will focus on mental health leadership, including strategies to combat stigma and discrimination.
Participants will hear from experienced advocates who will comment on the upcoming WHO anti-stigma toolkit, developed in collaboration with King’s College London and members of the Global Mental Health Peer Network, and will also be introduced to the new WHO Leadership Skills Development course, created in collaboration with the Global Leadership Exchange.
The second day will move to the theme of transforming mental health services, with a focus on continuity of services across age groups and integrating mental health into primary health care. Financing these transformations will be a key area of discussion, and participants will explore case studies of effective funding models.
The gathering aims to promote and inspire the exchange of knowledge on mental health services and leadership in the WHO European Region.
About the Pan-European Mental Health Coalition
The Pan-European Mental Health Coalition, launched by WHO/Europe in 2021, will serve as a knowledge and practice exchange platform for over 300 stakeholders in mental health, including policy makers, experiencers, and international and national organisations.
About JA ImpleMENTAL
JA ImpleMENTAL brought together 21 countries with the aim of adopting and implementing two best practices in mental health: Belgium’s transition to community-based mental health services and Austria’s national suicide prevention program.
