Presentation by Yves Brand, Policy Officer Mental Health Europe on the occasion of the EESC SOC hearing on the European Year of Mental Health – Better Work, Better Quality of Life in Brussels on 30 October 2012

1. European Economic and Social Committee
European Year on Mental Health –
Better work, better quality of life
Yves Brand,
Policy Officer Mental Health Europe

2. Mental Health Europe (MHE)
Is an European non-governmental organisation committed to:
• The promotion of positive mental health and well-being;
• The prevention of mental distress;
• The improvement of care;
• Advocate for social inclusion;
• Protect the human rights of people with mental health problems, their
families and carers.

3. MHE’s areas of work
• Mental Health Promotion;
• Prevention of Mental Health Problems;
• Mental Health and Social Policy;
• Mental Health, Human Rights and Disability.

4. Mental Health Matters
• Stigma is still very present;
• Persons with severe mental health problems are among the
most excluded of all groups;
• Mental health is a vast area;
• Good mental health and well-being is a precondition for
economic growth and development within the EU.

5. Mental Health and Poverty
• Social disadvantage and deprivation can trigger mental illness;
• Vicious circle: poverty increases the chances of mental health
problems, while people with mental health problems are more likely to
suffer from poverty;
• In Britain, research has shown that deprivation increase the risk of
mental health problems;
• Research in Denmark indicates that the rate of suicide attempts in the
group of people with a low income is higher than in the other groups;
• Evidence shows that depression occurs 1.5 to 2 times more often
among low-income groups.

6. The De-Institutionalisation Process
Psychiatric hospitals as institutions – long-term stay on short-
stay beds
• 19% of patients in “public specialized psychiatric hospitals” in France
were hospitalized for 1 to 5 years, and 23% were hospitalized for over
5 years;
• In Malta, 43% of patients stayed for 5 years or longer in psychiatric
hospitals;
• In Bulgaria, approximately 30% of the patients lived in psychiatric
hospitals for more than 3 years;
• Belgium had over 13.000 long-stay psychiatric beds in psychiatric
hospitals.

7. The De-Institutionalisation Process
Residential vs. community care
• In 19 European countries, support in institutional or long-term
hospital settings still prevails over support in the community;
• In Croatia, around 4.000 people live in social care institutions
while only 75 people use community-based organised
housing;
• In Moldova, only 17 places are available in sheltered housing
against 1.925 beds in long-stay psychiatric hospitals and
1.688 places in social care institutions.

8. The De-Institutionalisation Process
De-Institutionalisation strategies in Europe
• Only 16 European countries report current mental health strategies
identifying De-Institutionalisation as an objective;
• Belgium started a major reform of mental health care in 2011. It aims to
reduce the number of psychiatric beds by 10%;
• In Finland, the national plan for mental health and substance abuse
foresees a 30% reduction of psychiatric hospital beds by 2015;
• Moldova has a national programme on mental health for 2012-2016
aiming to reduce the number of places in psychiatric hospitals.

9. Implementation of the UN CRPD
Guardianship
• 25 European countries have guardianship regimes that
implement plenary substitute decision-making;
• Forced admission into institutions or hospitals often happens
along with the incapacitation of the person;
• Seven European countries are currently introducing or planning
to introduce new, more evolved guardianship legislation.

10. Implementation of the UN CRPD
Involuntary treatment
• Involuntary admission and treatment is common in institutions
and none of the EU countries prohibits it;
• Forced treatment is not only limited to hospitals and institutions;
• In France, a new law on involuntary treatment entered into force
in 2011, which allows psychiatric care to be imposed outside of
the hospital without consent .

11. European Year on Mental Health?
The European Year on Mental Health would be beneficial:
• Because it affects every European citizen;
• To raise awareness on mental health issues;
• To support research and projects;
• To improve cooperation with other sectors;
• Because it is a precondition for economic growth;
• To ensure concrete actions and outcomes of the CRPD.

12. For further information
Yves Brand
Mental Health Europe – Santé Mentale Europe
Boulevard Clovis 7, B-1000, Brussels
Tel. +32 2 280 04 68
Fax +32 2 280 16 04
E-mail: yves.brand@mhe-sme.org
www.mhe-sme.org