Measures to improve mental health

Key points

The EESC:

• encourages a reform of health systems across the EU in the field of mental health to ensure prevention, early detection and screening of ill mental health and provision of a person-centred approach in the community;
• recommends that the EU Comprehensive Plan on Mental health comes with a timeframe, is sufficiently funded, defines responsibilities and includes indicators to monitor progress across the EU and Member States – including in the framework of the European Semester process. The Semester should give more consideration to the impact of socio-economic and environmental factors on mental health and NRRPs should include more investments directed to the health sector; 
• supports the development of rights-based, person-centred, recovery-oriented, community-based mental health systems that prioritise the person's empowerment and active participation in their own recovery with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of people with mental health conditions and in compliance with the principles of the UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities. Promote the efforts to implement inclusive care and support within the mental health system to focus on the needs of specific and vulnerable groups, such as children, older people, refugees and migrants, LGBTIQ+ as well as people in disadvantaged socio-economic situations;
• encourages social partner to support and promote initiatives aimed at improving working conditions to asses and eliminate psychosocial risks at the workplace;

• calls upon the EC to declare 2024 as the European Year of Mental Health.