Conclusions of "Balancing Mental
Health Promotion and Mental Health Care: A Joint World Health Organization / European
Commission Meeting"
Brussels, 22-24 April 1999
(published
in: World Health Organization / European Commission: "Balancing mental health
promotion and mental health care: a joint World Health Organization / European
Commission meeting", Broschure MNH/NAM/99.2, Brussels: World Health Organization
1999, p. 9)
"There is No Health Without Mental Health"
Mental
health promotion and mental health care are complementary parts of the spectrum
of necessary interventions to achieve good mental health outcomes for the population.
Both approaches are essential elements of a comprehensive mental health strategy
and a balance should be realized between them, stressing an intersectoral and
a multi-disciplinary approach.
This balance will be based on historical, cultural,
structural [including availability of health and social services] and ethical
factors and conditions, and made at the appropriate level in each context. Actions
should be based on the best available knowledge or evidence, and continuously
evaluated.
The following nine key principles are central to mental health
promotion and to mental health care: personal autonomy, sustainability, effectiveness,
accessibility, comprehensiveness, equity, accountability, coordination, and efficiency.
Common goals and strategies to advance mental health promotion and care include:
- Enhancing the visibility and improving recognition of the value
of mental health, including at the political level
- Increasing the interchange
of knowledge and experience on mental health and the transmission of mental health
information
- Developing innovative and comprehensive, explicit mental
health policies in consultation with all stakeholders, including users and carers,
and respecting NGO and citizen contributions
- Defining priorities regarding
settings, target groups, and target conditions for activities and interventions
in mental health promotion, primary, secondary and tertiary prevention and prevention
of mortality (e.g. families, schools, workplaces, prisons, neighbourhoods, social
services, primary and specialist care)
- Development of primary care and
specialized mental health services focusing on quality of care and the development
of new non-stigmatizing and self-help approaches
- Tackling inequity in
health by giving special attention to the mental health promotion and care needs
of marginalized, deprived and socially excluded groups, taking account of the
serious social changes and upheavals currently occurring in many countries of
the European region of the WHO, in particular in the newly emerging democracies.
-
Developing evidence-based guidelines for mental health promotion, primary and
secondary care, including rehabilitation and community-based interventions
-
Developing a human resource strategy and emphasizing continuing professional development
(life long learning and training)
- Highlighting research and development,
establishing mental health information and monitoring systems, including systems
to assess the prevalence, cost and needs of mental health and outcomes of intervention
-
Development of mental health legislation based on human rights, emphasising freedom
of choice, and the importance of appropriate confidentiality
The participants
expressed the wish that European Commission and World Health Organization focus
upon these priority issues in the framework of their respective programmes, and
as a basis to explore avenues for joint actions. It is also expected that all
European countries will pay adequate attention to the priority issues identified
by the meeting. The priorities will be discussed further in the European Conference
on Promotion of Mental Health and Social Inclusion, which will be organised by
the Finnish Presidency of the European Union, to take place in Tampere, Finland
in October 1999, and taken into account in context of the WHO initiative "Nations
for Mental Health".