Problem

Mental Health Europe has conducted an analysis of the European Commission's Communication on ‘A Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health’. The detailed analysis offers six key recommendations to strengthen the EU's approach to mental health:

Develop a comprehensive strategy: MHE calls for a clear plan with timelines, budget, goals, and progress tracking.
Address social factors: A psychosocial model should be used to consider social determinants and provide tailored support.
Protect mental health rights: The rights of people with mental health issues and disabilities should be promoted and protected.
Integrate mental health: Mental health considerations should be included in all EU policy areas.
Co-create solutions: People with lived experience and stakeholders should be involved in developing the initiative.
Fight stigma and discrimination: Efforts are needed to break down stigma and end discrimination.

Our team was tasked with disseminating to a general and non-expert audience, so it was key to distill the report into an easily digestible format. Although the core of our work is focused on decision makers and policymakers, we also reach out to many other stakeholders including the general public. Therefore, our content and messages have to be simplified towards such target groups.

Solution

To address these challenges, we conducted a thorough analysis of the communication and proposed several solutions. Firstly, we recommended that the communication include a clear definition of what constitutes mental health. This would help ensure that all stakeholders have a common understanding of what is meant by mental health.

Secondly, we recommended that the communication address the root causes of mental health issues such as poverty and inequality. This would require a multi-sectoral approach involving various stakeholders including policymakers, healthcare providers, and civil society organizations.

Lastly, we recommended that the communication include a clear plan for how the proposed actions would be implemented. This would involve setting specific targets and timelines for each action point and identifying responsible parties for their implementation.

Impact

50% increase in engagement for a policy focused piece of work

Team

Team Member #1 - Policy & Knowledge Officer
- Provided expert insights on mental health issues and recommended solutions to address them
- Analysed the communication and identified gaps that needed to be addressed
Team Member #2 - Communication Manager
- Drafted the key messages outlining the key recommendations for a non-expert and general target audience
- Prepared the visuals and key messages for use on social media channels

Analysis of the European Commission's Communication on ‘A Comprehensive Approach