The eMEN project was invited to attend an event focusing on mental health hosted by Science | Business, a Brussels-based media and networking company focused on research and innovation policy. ‘Bridge the gap: Strengthening prevention and treatment in mental health to share’, was a part of their Health Measures initiatives. This multi-stakeholder communications platform was set up to mobilise support for better, equitable and effective health delivery across the EU.
Project member Dr. Tom Van Daele attended the event, which took place at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. He shared project insights on behalf of the consortium, in particular during the track on ‘Mental clarity: Education for a better outcome’. Here he highlighted some of the relevant recommendations of the forthcoming transnational policy for e-mental health, which will be publicly released in May 2020. This policy aims to function as a practical guide for European policymakers and stakeholders to facilitate the implementation and adoption of effective e-mental health solutions.
During the event, a recurring topic was the need for innovative solutions to better meet increasing demand for mental healthcare services. More people seem to be taking the step to acknowledge a need for support for their mental health, partly due a decrease in stigma concerning mental health problems. Menta healthcare providers, however, struggle to provide timely and adequate treatment for all. Targeted and tailored use of digital mental health was considered to be an important tool to help meet these needs and to offer better care. Good practices from within Sweden, but also within North-West Europe were considered inspiring examples of how to move forward in this still relatively knew domain.
A full report of the event will soon be available for public consultation on the Science | Business website.
