Joint letter: 25 organisations call for a separate European Parliament own-initiative report on mental health
EuroHealthNet has joined 24 other organisations in signing a joint letter to urge the European Parliament Public Health (SANT) Committee to maintain a standalone report on the EU Mental Health Strategy. Committee reports analyse EU proposals and initiatives, identifying potential amends and proposing a political line (position) to be voted on by the full Parliament in plenary.
The call comes after reporting that the previously announced mental health report might be merged into a broader report on neurological or 'brain health', effectively turning mental health into a sub-component rather than a policy priority in its own right. The joint letter addresses SANT Chair MEP Jarubas, calling on the committee to keep the two reports separate to keep mental health a visible and distinct priority within the EU policy agenda.
At a time when needs are increasing and mental health systems remain significantly under-resourced, strong political leadership from the European Parliament is more important than ever. Any step that reduces the visibility of mental health within the EU policy agenda risks slowing the progress achieved in recent years.
