About the ILC-UK
The International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK) is a think tank impacting policy on longevity, population change, health and disadvantaged groups within society.
We are also a registered UK charity. To find out more about us, visit www.ilcuk.org.uk.
About EUFAMI
The European Federation of Associations of Families of Persons with Mental Illness (EUFAMI) was founded in 1992 and is registered in Belgium as an international non-profit organisation. EUFAMI's ongoing commitment is to work for the improvement in care and welfare for all people affected by mental illness. Currently the membership of EUFAMI is made up of 48 national and regional family organisations form 28 countries. For more information, visit www.eufami.org.
Our starting point
This website builds upon the ILC-UK report 'Moving to social integration of people with severe mental illness: from policy to practice'. We have sought to provide a useful summary of the essential facts, guidance, inspirational examples and policy issues necessary for European advocates to engage their national governments effectively.
In doing so, we hope that this policy tool will work towards the World Health Organisation call for social integration, understanding and hope for people with severe mental illness.
Our policy report gathered thoughts and insights from the literature, policy documents and interviews with key experts in mental health from around Europe. The report ended with the following conclusions which form the starting point for the development of this policy tool:
At the heart of all initiatives to improve care for persons with severe mental illness, whether it is through community-orientated treatment, initiatives to reduce stigma, better funding for mental ill-health or improved training for professionals and carers, lies the issue of access to human rights, empowerment and social integration.
Most European countries are still affected by the closures of large mental institutions over previous decades. Although a shift to community care is to be welcomed, the considerable gaps in treatment created by this often ill-managed switch still persist today. The greatest shortage in most countries appears to be in services that bridge across social care and healthcare.
Much can be done at a national or devolved regional level. As a priority, we urge governments to:
- Make mental health a priority in European, regional and national level policies
- Lead in challenging discrimination and stigma of severe mental illness in laws, practice, societal values and access to care.
- Raise awareness and understanding of severe mental illness across society, with targeted initiatives for different groups.
- Invest in mental health services and professional training
- Improve access to mental health treatments to the highest possible level across Europe
- Invest in social reintegration programmes for people with severe mental illness who are re-entering the community
- Ensure good coverage of sheltered housing and community schemes for the entire population corresponding to local need
- Provide training for all specialist and non-specialist health and social care staff working with people with severe mental illness, as well as for families and carers
- Engage persons with severe mental illness and their families in the development of policies, information materials and service provision.
- Facilitate the exchange of ideas and sharing of best practice through networks and consortia.
- Help NGOs with funding at an EU, national, regional and local level, and recognise the important resource they represent.
Local solutions to the challenges of severe mental illness have made an enormous difference within local communities. These local partnerships will, to some extent, need to evolve organically if they are to be effective.
National and regional policy makers can make the difference by ensuring those local actors who dare to care are resourced, connected to others, listened to, and above all, respected.
We recommend you read our guide on how to use this website. Alternatively if you have accessed this site before, please continue directly to the 10 Key Areas for Action.