Mental ill health leads to huge personal and economic costs for European individuals, communities and economies. The European Commission, EU Member States, WHO, and OECD recognise the need to address this negative impact of mental ill health, but the lack of parity of esteem and disparity of funding between mental and physical health has been a huge barrier.
However, Mental health research and the implementation of research outcomes are disproportionally underfunded. A “Mental Health in all Policies” approach is required in order to ensure social inclusion and financial sustainability.
Signatories of the statement– including EBC and EBC members/observers ECNP, EPA, GAMIAN, EUFAMI, and 17 National Brain Councils– urge the European Commission and Member States:
• To create a (virtual) European Network or Institute for Mental Health in line with the ROAMER recommendations. Its aim would be to build and share the research and implementation findings with respect to mental health in all EU Member States and monitor and coordinate mental health research and implementation efforts at the EU level.
• To invest € 100 million every year to execute the ROAMER recommendations on mental health research, as part the 9th Framework Programme.
• To start in 2018 together with Member States and other stakeholders a European Implementation Partnership for Mental Health.
• To dedicate at least 2% of ERDF, ESF and INTERREG funds for the implementation of national programmes for mental health promotion, prevention of mental ill health and accessible, quality and cost effective community-based services from 2021.
• The impact of these investments are significant. With an annual return of investment of 37%, the payback period will be less than 3 years.
Now is the time for parity of esteem and parity of funding between mental and physical health. It is time to act.
View the full statement HERE
For more information on endorsement, please contact Chris Nas, Trimbos Institute (cnas@trimbos.nl)