25 years history of mental health europe

History of Mental Health Europe 1985-2010

History of Mental Health Europe 1985-2010

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Preface Writing and reconstructing Mental Health Europe’s history was for me a real challenge.

This historical overview looks back to MHE’s “prenatal” developments within the World Federation for Mental Health, and ends as it enters the year 2010 and celebrates its 25th anniversary.

This written record was not easy to achieve since two important sources of information passed away: Edith Morgan and John Henderson.

It is certainly inevitable that there will be lacuna: the secretariat, the reports of activities and events often stayed with the European Presidents and as such moved around from UK to Ghent, Dublin, Denmark, back to Ghent to end finally in Brussels.

Archives were not well kept since it was all voluntary work until 1992.

In this respect some of my accounts are more a personal memory, not necessarily a true historical report.

Nonetheless, I did my best to provide a written record for all those who are interested to know from where Mental Health Europe comes and where it is now. Unfortunately I cannot tell you where our association is going.

I wish to express my gratitude to Mary and all those who helped me in this task.

Josée Van Remoortel, MHE Senior Policy Adviser Brussels, 22 October 2010

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Introduction 25 years ago, in 1985 in Brighton, UK, the European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health was established.

5 In those 25 years, there have been enormous changes, and not only in the name.

Mental Health Europe remains however committed to its 1991 Manifesto, based on the UN principles for the protection of people with mental health problems and for the improvement of mental health care, to fight against discrimination, marginalisation and social exclusion of those labelled, diagnosed or treated as mentally ill.

This anniversary should also challenge all of us to consider and contemplate the future of our organisation throughout Europe.

To focus our debate, exchanges and experiences on the failure to improve the state of mental health in Europe, and to give a higher priority to mental health in each European country.

MHE has done notable work in these 25 years.

It has tended to lurch from good times to bad times and back again, often caused by financial problems, but the dynamism and strength were never lost.

How can MHE use most effectively the thoughts and energy that went in it during the past 25 years to face and improve the future?

As a committed European non-governmental organisation, MHE is ready to join forces with its members, the European Union, the different countries, the World Health Organization – European Region, and the Council of Europe, and to carry forward the development of full inclusion of people with mental health problems in our society.

MHE Reporting Meeting – November 1999

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Origins of Mental Health Europe Mental Health Europe’s history cannot be written without giving a short history of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). The roots of the WFMH lie deep in the early efforts of a few exceptional leaders who had survived mental illness and acted as advocates of people suffering from mental illness in hospital confinement.

7 For the full history I am referring to Eugene Brody’s book “The search for mental health. A History and Memoir of WFMH 1948-1979”.

With this book he wanted to make a written record of earlier reports, board minutes, interviews and memories.

Edith Morgan has also written some interesting and inspiring papers such as “WFMH: looking ahead to 1988 – the 40th anniversary of WFMH” – a time for reflection (June 1986) and “Origins of the European Regional Council of the WFMH (March 1994).

Time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.

ORIGINS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENT AND THE WORLD FEDERATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH (WFMH) The first name we find in the history of mental health is Clifford W. Beers, a survivor of mental illness, probably the first mental health service user becoming a major advocate of the mentally ill. In 1907 he was discharged from a mental hospital and wrote an autobiographical book “A mind that found itself” describing the punishing treatment to which he had been subjected as a patient in a mental hospital.

In 1909, with the help of an awakening public opinion and professional and academic leaders who rallied his cause, Beers organised the “US National Mental Health Association”, that developed later in the “International Committee on Mental Hygiene”.

In Europe however several countries had already started or set up voluntary organisations to defend the interests of people with mental illness.

Clifford W. Beers

8 The first national association for mental health was set up in the UK in 1842; its name was “Society for improving the condition of the insane”, and in 1879 in London a first mental health aftercare association was established by a number of concerned citizens.

In 1897 a mental health association was founded in Finland, and it is still existing!

In the meantime Clifford Beers was travelling around in the United States and Europe to promote his ideas and merely to convince professionals and dignitaries to establish a national committee for mental hygiene, as a voluntary association.

He put pressure for change on the governments and promoted the child guidance movement.

He came to Europe and visited several countries in order to promote the creation of mental health associations.

In this context he also came to Belgium in 1922; the result was the establishment of the Belgian League for Mental Hygiene in 1923.

France already had a “National Committee for Mental Hygiene” in 1918 that in 1920 was renamed “Ligue Française d’Hygiène Mentale” (French League for Mental Hygiene).

A first international congress on mental hygiene was organised in 1930 in Washington DC, USA. It attracted more than 4.000 people. At that conference a new International Committee was formed with representatives from 29 countries mainly coming from the already existing mental health associations.

The second World Congress of mental hygiene was held in Paris in 1937. It was the last before the second World War. The next World Congress was planned to be held in London in 1940 by the newly established association “Mind”. John Rawling Rees, mental health chief for the British Military Forces, was asked to chair the preparatory commission for a third international congress on mental health; due to the Second World War, this congress was postponed until 1948. Here again more than 4.100 participants discussed in 350 groups the founding document for the WFMH, including the following goals: ✦✦ To promote mental health in world citizenship ✦✦ To develop broad based work with the United Nations ✦✦ To promote the mental health of all world’s peoples in social, educational, medical and biological aspects.

The WFMH was brought into being on 18 August 1948 at the Ministry of Health in London by a group of delegates from 43 countries, UNESCO and the World Health Organization. John Rees was its first president.

Ups and downs of WFMH and regionalisation Like most organisations WFMH had its ups and downs and it has undergone changes both out of practical necessity and in response to the change of needs.

The Federation suffered from poor organisation management and funding.

9 It was however always fortunate in attracting hard working Officers and Board members who kept alive the spirit of the Federation and tried to develop it further.

In 1971 the Board introduced a new category of Officers, the WFMH Regional Vice Presidents.

It is only in 1981 at the WFMH Board meeting in Washington that the WFMH Board decided to support the development of organised regional WFMH bodies, to be called Councils. The change was more an aspiration than a reality since WFMH could not offer any funds to support the new Vice Presidents with their vast responsibility. As a result the regional development was slow to non-existent, except in Europe!

The World Federation for Mental Health – 1948-1980 Europe has always played a major role in WFMH. If you read the full history of WFMH written by Eugene Brody you will see that it were strong European leaders who engaged themselves in the world movement for mental health.

WFMH was founded in Europe (London) on 18 August 1948. Out of the 45, 21 European countries were represented.

Half of the members on the first WFMH Board came from Europe: Dr Stuchlik (Czechoslovakia) Dr Yves Porcher (France) Dr. Doris Odhum (United Kingdom), Prof H. C. Rümke (Netherlands), Mrs K. Hesselgem (Sweden) and John Rawling (Jack) Rees (United Kingdom) who was elected the first President.

A central office was set up in London in 1948 and existed until 1961, under the leadership of Jack Rees, a UK military doctor, founder of the Tavistock Clinic.

In 1962 the secretariat moved to Geneva under the pressure of the Americans and other Europeans.

The new director François Cloutier, who was Canadian, spoke fluent French, which was appreciated by the Europeans and broke the domination by the United Kingdom and the United States. The move to Geneva would also emphasise the Federation’s status as an authentically European-based organisation and bring it closer to the United Nations headquarters (Eugene Brody, p. 55).

There were problems of fundraising and Cloutier could not find the money nor the spirit and in 1965 he completely stopped working for WFMH. With the election of Georges Morrison (Morris) Carstairs as President, WFMH found a strong figure and an authority in mental health and in 1968 the WFMH secretariat moved to Edinburgh where the administrative and executive power and responsibility would be concentrated for the next 11 years.

A continuing factor in the maturity and growth of WFMH was the recognition of the regional development. Six Vice-Presidents were designated to represent the different regions, based on WHO classifications: the Americas, the Western Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa, Easter Mediterranean and Europe.

In 1983 the WFMH Board’s assignment of a high priority to the development of Regional Councils changed the dynamics of the situation. In 1986 Edith Morgan, then WFMH President, called a meeting of the Regional Vice-Presidents to consider their functions.

10 Since the early nineties the ERC-WFM had been increasingly busy with the development of the activities in the European region. The growth and developments in the European Region in the early nineties led to an increased concern of the WFMH Secretariat about the future of the WFMH Regions.

The European League for Mental Hygiene As said before, the origins of Mental Health Europe lay within the World Federation for Mental Health.

But European associations have always played a major role in the development of a “European Mental Health Movement.”

Already in 1922, long before WFMH was founded, the “European League for Mental Hygiene” started working, gathering the different national associations for mental health.

In 1922 Dr. Toulouse invited the representatives of the national mental health associations of Europe to a meeting in Paris.

This first meeting was followed by several annual meetings in France and in the other capital cities: Rome (1933), Brussels (1935) London (1936) and Lugano (1939). At this meeting it was decided that there was a need to found a European association.

A “European Committee for Mental Hygiene” was set up, presided by Dr. André Repond from Switzerland, and later by Dr. A. Ley from Belgium.

During the war the meetings were suspended but the “European Committee” was maintained.

In 1946 some members of the committee who met in Lausanne, Switzerland, at a Congress of neuropsychiatrists decided to restart the work of the committee.

They prepared a General Assembly that would be held in Paris. At this meeting on 24 September 1950, it was decided to change the name of the committee in “European League for Mental Hygiene”.

Dr. André Repond was elected President.

In 1951 the League organised its first congress, in Verney, Switzerland, where its statutes were adopted. At this meeting it was made clear that the European League did not want to compete with WFMH, whose objectives were global and more general.

The League’s objectives were to establish cooperation between national associations for mental health and develop interdisciplinary cooperation in Europe through annual conferences on topics of actuality. From the start representatives of WFMH participated in all the annual conferences of the European League, and in 1953 Dr. Ley, Brussels – the first president of the European League – was nominated honorary member of WFMH. The League’s statutes were adapted on request of WFMH. At all the future annual meetings the representative of WFMH (Jack Rees) was present.

Doris Odlum from Mind was elected President of the European League in 1953.

The European League continued its yearly gatherings in Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, etc.

11 In 1966 new statutes were prepared and the establishment of a secretariat was decided. The objectives were: to stimulate the cooperation between the national associations for mental hygiene, to support their efforts in their respective countries, and to support the actions of WFMH. A permanent secretariat was set up in Paris at the French League for Mental Hygiene.

The European League continued to bring together representatives from mental health associations from nearly all European countries: from Russia to Portugal and from Finland to Turkey.

In 1973 the first signs of difficulties appeared. At the 22nd meeting in Baden Baden, Germany, in September 1973, the activity report of the European League is very pessimistic. The secretary says “No news to tell, since we lived in slow motion. As well our moral as our financial report is bad. We are at a turning point in the League's life.”

Prof. Lyketsos from Greece was elected the new president.

This situation could not be redressed and in March 1975 a meeting was organised by Morris Carstairs (WFMH) at the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva, bringing together all the mental health associations in Europe.

This was the last official gathering of the European League and WFMH. It had three stated objectives: ✦✦ To revive WFMH in Europe ✦✦ To re-establish links with the European League for Mental Hygiene ✦✦ To assist Marianne Cederblad in enlisting European support for the 1975 World Congress in Copenhagen.

As a consequence Dr Lamarche (Paris) from the European League for Mental Hygiene agreed but with reservation since he felt that the European League should maintain its identity (Eugene Brody, p. 284) in Europe.

In 1979, when Edith Morgan had taken over the European Vice Presidency of the WFMH, a meeting was held with Prof Lyketsos, President, Dr. Lamarche, Secretary General, and Mlle Duron, Executive Secretary who agreed to stop the activities of the European League.

EUROPEAN REGIONAL COUNCIL OF THE WORLD FEDERATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH, LATER BECOMING MENTAL HEALTH EUROPE The real history of Mental Health Europe starts in the late seventies.

Since there were no formal Vice-President positions before 1971, the process of building a European mental health movement within the context of WFMH was limited. The first Vice President for Europe was Dr. Kurt Plasvig from Denmark, nominated in 1971 and serving until 1974.

From 1975 onwards a series of meetings were organised in Europe with representation from different countries who gradually build up the support for a “European Desk”. These desks were intended to facilitate the work of the Regional Vice-Presidents and to encourage collaboration of member organisations in the region.

1975

12 The August 1975 WFMH congress in Copenhagen was organised by the Danish Mental Health Association; 800 participants coming from 51 countries discussed about “mental health and economic growth”… Nothing new under the sun!

At this conference in Copenhagen, Marianne Cederblad from Sweden, the new Regional Vice-President (1974-1979) invited for the first time all the European participants to a meeting in order to strengthen the European identity and to bring the directors of the major national mental health associations together. Edith Morgan, UK, Knud Jensen, Denmark, and Josée Van Remoortel, Belgium were present and showed a commitment to work together.

In 1976 the only activity organised was a European Regional meeting on “Transcultural Psychiatry”, putting ethnic issues on the agenda. The meeting was organised by Edith Morgan in Bradford, UK.

In 1977, during the World Congress in Vancouver, Canada, Edith Morgan, UK, succeeded Marianne Cederblad as European Vice President. Edith Morgan was deeply interested in strengthening the collaboration between mental health NGOs in Europe. She started publishing a newsletter, published twice a year, in order to inform the European mental health associations about what was going on in the mental health field in the world, and to stimulate the exchange of information between European mental health workers. She realised a very simple information sharing which was manageable and useful, and stimulating collaboration beyond the country borders.

The WFMH Board was still very concerned about the status of the World Federation for Mental Health in Europe.

WFMH President Tsung-yi Lin hoped that a WFMH congress in Europe would intensify WFMH’s presence on the European continent (Eugene Brody, p. 280).

The Belgian Mental Health Association was asked to organise it, but refused since there was not sufficient time to prepare a “good” world congress.

Finally an agreement was reached with Austria, and on 8-13 July 1979, the world congress was organised in Salzburg by Dr Brenner and the Austrian Mental Health Association. The theme of the conference was “Mental health of children and families”. This was however not a good opportunity to strengthen European collaboration since it was considered as “a-typical and disorganised” (Edith Morgan).

The Flemish Association for Mental Health had however agreed to organise a European Conference in Belgium. In 1980 an outstanding conference was organised in Ghent on “Alternatives to Mental

Edith Morgan

1976-80

13 Hospitals”. This was a very important milestone in the history of the European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health (ERC-WFMH).

Not only due to the very large attendance of delegates of the different mental health associations, but also through the presence of leading people in deinstitutionalisation such as Franco Basaglia from Triëste, Italy, Marius Romme from The Netherlands and Jaap van Londen, also from The Netherlands.

It was also the “consecration” of all the preparatory work of the “Action Group” leading to a significant development of the ERC-WFMH. After having organised in March 1980 in Ghent (Belgium) the very successful European conference on “Alternatives to Mental Hospitals”, Edith Morgan, WFMH Vice President for Europe, took the initiative to bring together a small group of enthusiastic activists. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss whether a flexible organisation, facilitating closer co-operation of European members, was possible. The meeting was held in Ghent, Belgium, and the invited participants were: ✦✦ Edith Morgan, WFMH Vice President for Europe ✦✦ Tony Smythe, Director of MIND, England and Wales ✦✦ Irja Ratanen, Director Finnish Association for Mental Health ✦✦ Kristina Salonen, Information Officer Finnish Association for Mental Health ✦✦ Knud Jensen, Vice-President of SIND, Danish Association for Mental Health ✦✦ Tom van der Grinten, Director Dutch National Institute for Mental Health ✦✦ Josée Van Remoortel, Director Flemish Association for Mental Health, Belgium

Effective co-operation was requiring appropriate mechanisms, membership, secretariat, finances and other organisational aspects.

The first objectives were: ✦✦ To be a partner and channel towards the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the World Health Organization-European Region ✦✦ Planning a coherent year programme for workshops and meetings ✦✦ Facilitating exchange (information and contacts) between professionals ✦✦ Exchange of information on mental health issues.

The group decided to go forward and to start negotiations for funding and for the creation of a European Secretariat. A problem until then was that the ERC-WFMH Secretariat changed every 2 or 4 years, each time a new European Vice-President was elected. Later in 1980, it was agreed that the first European Secretariat should be located in London where the then Vice-President was based, and with GreatBritain having huge experience of international exchange in the mental health field.

Stijn Jannes – European Conference, Gent 1980

14 A crucial issue requesting clarification was the relation of this new European alliance with the World Federation for Mental Health.

The next step was the meeting in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 20-21 March 1981, on the theme of “Mental Health Developments in Europe”. The purpose of the meeting was to move towards a stronger mental health movement and to improve the co-operation between the members.

At this important meeting it was decided to generate activities in Europe that could stand on their own, WFMH not being in a healthy financial position and having done little work that was relevant for the European region.

“Delegates with decision-making power” from 6 organisations – Mind in England and Wales, the National Association for Mental Health from Belgium (Flanders), the Dutch National Institute for Mental Health and the Mental Health Group of the Hungarian National Institute for Sport Medicine, the Irish Association for Mental Health and the Finnish Association for Mental Health – were invited by Edith Morgan, European Vice-President: ✦✦ To establish a geographically stable “European Desk of WFMH” ✦✦ To share with the Vice-President the responsibility for building a strong European movement ✦✦ To plan a number of conferences, workshops and meetings on the rights of mentally ill people and the mental health legislation reform, the involvement of users and families, and the adequate delivery of mental health services ✦✦ To facilitate exchange of information and create partnerships and channels on mental health mat-

1981-82

ters among governmental and intergovernmental bodies such as the World Health Organization, the European Union and the Council of Europe.

A Resolution was produced, indicating the several areas for future action (Eugene Brody).

In May 1981 the Finnish Association for Mental Health organised a European symposium on mental health and old age. Irja Ratanen, the new Director of the Finnish Association, was able to attract more than 150 people. The opening speech was delivered by Dr John Henderson, WHO Euro Adviser for Mental Health. A Resolution was adopted and submitted to WFMH and WHO; they welcomed it and acknowledged its usefulness in the frame of World Mental Health Day 1982 on the theme “Add Life to Years”.

Thanks to Edith Morgan’s organisational skills and the assistance of a volunteer medical student, Graham Thornicroft, now Professor at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, a Newsletter could be produced. It started with a letter from the President, followed by European mental health news and original articles from members.

In July 1981 the World Federation for Mental Health held its congress in Manila, The Philippines; Constantin (Stijn) Jannes, chairman of the Flemish Association for Mental Health was elected European Vice-President.

At this meeting it was decided that the European Region of WFMH would be allotted 3.000 USD for its activities and for the Vice-President’s expenses.

Unfortunately this decision was never carried out...

15 In May 1983 the Board of the ERC-WFMH felt that a formal organisation of mental health associations in Europe was inevitable and it confronted the WFMH Board with the need to take action regarding regionalisation.

During the world congress in 1983 in Washington DC, USA, it was formally decided that this should become the Federation’s priority. This decision was received with optimism by the European delegates.

Stijn Jannes MD, professor of Psychiatry at the University of Ghent, was re-elected for a second term as WFMH Vice-President for Europe. He called for a meeting in Ghent on 25 November 1983 to formally establish the “European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health”.

This was a very important meeting in which participated the most influential mental health associations: Mary O’Mahony, Director of the Irish Association for Mental Health; Pirkko Lahti, Director of the Finnish Association for Mental Health; Bent Pedersen, Director of the Danish Association for Mental Health; Chris Heginbotham, Director of Mind England and Wales; Alan Ferguson, Director of the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health; Huw Richards, Director of the Scottish Association for Mental Health; Josée Van Remoortel, Director of the Flemish Association for Mental Health; Inge Schöck, German Association for Mental Health, Irja Ratanen, Finnish Association for Mental Health, and Wout Hardeman, Dutch Centre for Mental Health.

They formed the steering group together with Edith Morgan who was President-Elect of the World Federation for Mental Health, and Stijn Jannes, who was the Regional Vice-President for Europe.

1983-84

One of the main tasks of the group was the formulation of Working Rules for the European Region.

In a letter in June 1983 to all the European member organisations, Stijn Jannes wrote: “The steering group has been investigating the creation of a European Desk but unfortunately WFMH has no funds to assist financially. Thanks to Wout Hardeman, we were granted 25.000 NLG (Dutch guilders) from the Dutch Foundation for Mental Health”.

Mary O’Mahony, Director of the Irish Association for Mental Health, managed to get support from the Irish Government to set up a small temporary secretariat in Dublin for the next two years. With the help of the steering committee, Stijn Jannes and colleagues held workshops, conducted a survey of 29 mental health associations (Morgan and Carstairs), collaborated with WHO Europe and attempted to increase the European membership of WFMH (Eugene Brody, p. 290).

The next organisational step took place in 1984 in Copenhagen, where Knud Jensen, President of SIND, organised a “European conference on legal issues concerning commitment and civil rights of mentally ill people”. This conference with a focus on the human rights of people defined as mentally ill and vulnerable to coerced hospitalization and

Wout Hardeman

Knud Jensen

16 treatment, foreshadowed ERC’s advocacy role during the following decade.

In May 1984, at the WFMH Board in Baltimore, USA, the “European Regional Council” (ERC) was represented as a reality. The WFMH Board approved the proposed Working Rules with a provision for review in 1990. The establishment of the “European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health” (ERC-WFMH) was quickly followed by another important European congress, organised by Knud Jensen, President of SIND, from 12-15 August.

It focused on involuntary treatment, commitment to mental hospitals and the civil rights of the mentally ill. It was decided to carry this theme forward to the 1985 World Congress in Brighton, UK. The steering group of the ERC-WFMH was strongly involved in the organisation of the Brighton World Congress, and took the opportunity during each preparatory meeting to discuss the further enforcement of its structure.

In August 1985, during the world congress, the group converted itself into a formal European Council. It adopted its first Working Rules, which allowed for the election of 16 members with power to co-opt up to 4 additional members.

Knud Jensen succeeded Stijn Jannes as Chairman of the ERC-WFMH and Vice-President of WFMH. From then on, the ERC-WFMH held regular meetings (twice a year) and topic-oriented conferences.

The ERC-WFMH was in a position to formally articulate the programme that had been prepared in the years of its formation (Eugene Brody, p. 291).

At the meeting in Brighton it was also agreed to relocate the European Desk to Dublin, in the offices of the Irish Association for Mental Health. Mary O’Mahony led the Desk as Honorary Secretary.

In April 1986, at a Board meeting organised in Ghent by the Flemish Association for Mental Health, it was decided to set up a project on “women and mental health” in several countries. In October 1986 Mary O’Mahony organised the ERC-WFMH annual conference on “Attitudes towards mental illness and the mentally ill”.

In 1987, the ERC-WFMH agreed that future priority still was to build up a real council that would stand strong on advocacy and the welfare of the mentally ill. The process was long, but it was decided to ensure the participation of mental health service users and relatives in its work and key issues.

At that time is was also decided that when inhuman treatment or misuse of psychiatry for political ends was brought to the attention of the ERC-WFMH, this should not just be witnessed but that the ERC should intervene actively.

In this context the ERC asked the European Commission to intervene in the reform of Greek psychiatric hospitals, after the Leros case was reported.

A similar action was set up in Portugal, after having been alerted by the Portuguese Association for Mental Health about the dramatic situation in the Portuguese psychiatric hospitals.

The ERC-WFMH Board met in February 1987 in Ermelo (Netherlands), invited by Wout Hardeman, the representative of the Dutch Institute for Mental Health. The report “Principle guidelines and guarantees for the protection of persons detained on grounds of mental illness or suffering from mental disorders” prepared by E. Daes for the UN Economic and Social Council was critically commented and supplemented

by Chris Heginbotham, UK, and Wout Hardeman,

1985-87

17 Netherlands. Comments to the “Manifesto 2000” of the Brighton Declaration was also adopted.

In 1987 the contacts with Eastern Europe were extended, mainly by Knud Jensen, Denmark, and Edith Morgan. They participated in May 1987 in Prague in a conference on “Family Therapy”.

In 1988, the ERC sharpened its attitude towards countries where people with mental illness suffered from inhuman conditions. Our strenuous efforts to draw political attention to the appalling plight to the mentally ill in some parts of Greece contributed to raising political awareness of the situation.

Strong protests were sent to the Greek government.

On 20-22 October 1988, together with Paolo Crepet, Italy, the ERC organised a European symposium on “Psychiatry without Asylums”, in collaboration with the Municipality and University of Bologna.

A Board meeting was organised in Middelfart, Denmark, in May and the European Convention (General Assembly) was held in Bologna.

In 1989 the ERC-WFMH finalised its “Working Rules” which were approved by WFMH. It was agreed that it would require revision in the near future should

ERC Women Committee on the train to Torquay – 1989 MHE Founders ›››

membership increase (as was expected) and full European representation becoming reality.

At the Board meeting in Torquay, UK in May 1989, Josée Van Remoortel was elected chairperson of the ERC-WFMH, and as such automatically became VicePresident of WFMH at the World Congress in Mexico.

A “Manifesto 2000” was prepared by Chris Heginbotham, setting the ERC’s ideological policies.

The ERC set up several Committees: ✦✦ Community care (Brian Glanville) ✦✦ Women and mental health (Edith Morgan and Josée Van Remoortel) ✦✦ Children and mental health (Klaus Schutt and M. Roth) ✦✦ Mental health and elderly (Jenny Steenhaut and Pirkko Lahti) ✦✦ Legal issues (Chris Heginbotham) ✦✦ Self help in mental health (Huw Richards).

The ERC-WFMH also played an important role in the European Union HELIOS Programme on Community Actions for Disabled people. In this context Josée Van Remoortel represented the ERC-WFMH in the HELIOS Liaison group and the Dialogue group representing 28 NGOs in the disability field.

1988-89

18 The ERC-WFMH was invited to join the European Parliament All Party Disability Intergroup to discuss the problem of the integration of people with mental illness into society, and Josée Van Remoortel represented the ERC-WFMH in all these meetings.

In February 1990 the Vice President Advisory Group met for the last time in Ghent, Belgium, under the presidency of Josée Van Remoortel. Its tasks were taken over by the ERC-WFMH Executive Committee.

The ERC-WFMH Working Rules (already approved by the WFMH Board) stipulated that at least one meeting each year should be organised and that four Officers should be elected. The Chair would be elected by the Board of WFMH upon recommendation of the European Region.

Were elected: Knud Jensen, Denmark, as Honorary Secretary, Mary O’Mahony, Ireland, as Honorary Treasurer and Edith Morgan, UK for whom a personal lifetime title was created: Founder President of the ERC-WFMH. The three elected Board members were Pirkko Lahti, Finland, Paolo Crepet, Italy, and Ed van Hoorn, Netherlands.

The ERC-WFMH protested against unacceptable conditions for people with mental illness in Greece.

The Greek authorities as well as the UN Commission on Human Rights and the European Commission were alerted, and constructive offers for help were made by the ERC-WFMH. Negotiations for financial support were agreed between the European Union, the Greek Ministry of Health and the team of experts on which ERC-WFMH was represented by Edith Morgan and John Henderson.

1990-91

Training programmes for Greek mental health workers were organised in Newcastle (UK), Odense (Denmark) etc. Josée Van Remoortel was part of the European Commission’s Management Committee.

Two meetings were organised: an Executive Committee meeting in Ghent, Belgium in February 1990, and in May 1990 an ERC-WFMH conference on Children with mental health problems was organised by Klaus Schutt and Gabriele Bode, both from Germany.

1991 was a very active year in the history of the ERC-WFMH. Board meetings were held in Utrecht, Belfast and Prague (5-8 May) where the annual General Assembly was held in connection with the European Conference on “Mental Health of European Families”.

One of the many conference highlights was the participation of Vaclav Havel, at that time president of the Czech Republic.

It was also an important support towards the former East European countries.

Alongside the collaboration with the Czechoslovak Mental Health Association (Jan Gottwald and Hana Junova), projects were also going on in: ✦✦ The Baltic Countries through the Finnish Assembly for Mental Health (Pirkko Lahti) ✦✦ Romania with support from the Belgian Association for Mental Health (Colette Prins-Versporten and Josée Van Remoortel) ✦✦ Croatia, supported by SIND, Denmark (Knud Jensen).

19 At the General Assembly more important decisions were taken: ✦✦ To accept the “Manifesto” as official document ✦✦ To continue the support to the Mental Health Reform in Greece and Leros ✦✦ To seek stronger financial support for the Secretariat ✦✦ To collaborate in the EU in the Action Programme in favour of persons with disability.

A number of projects were continued: ✦✦ Women’s mental health ✦✦ Mental health of elderly ✦✦ The use of seclusion in Mental Hospitals ✦✦ Evaluation of Community Mental Health Services.

The ERC was also active in “The Fair Deal Campaign” a joint programme of European NGOs in the disability field, carried out by the “NGOs in Consultation”, an independent group of European NGOs. Finally on 14 November 1991 the ERC-WFMH obtained consultative status with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, an important recognition for its active role on the social field.

New premises and new staff!

Of major importance was certainly the decision taken by the Board to set up a permanent secretariat in Brussels. At the beginning offices were shared with the “European Union of the Deaf” in the immediate neighbourhood of the EU headquarters in Brussels.

In July 1992 Mary Van Dievel – who was Josée Van Remoortel’s assistant for more than 15 years at the Belgian and Flemish Association for Mental Health – was appointed as office manager. She knew the mental health field very well and collaborated already since 1980 in all the European mental health activities.

At the Board meeting on 8-10 May John Henderson, former mental health advisor to the World Health Organization-European Region (WHO–Euro) and consultant to the European Commission for the reform of the psychiatric system in Greece was co-opted as new member of the Board of the ERC-WFMH. The ERC-WFMH continued to work on different exchange programmes.

The project on “Consumer Participation in Community Mental Health Services” started its first exchange of staff between Prato, Italy, and Odense, Denmark.

Pino Pini, Italy, Knud Jensen, Denmark, Ed van Hoorn, Netherlands, and Brian Glanville, Ireland, were responsible for drafting the user-evaluation questionnaire, which could be used in any European country and would be of great value as well to politicians, professionals as to mental health service users.

A new programme was set up on “Mental Health and Human Rights”. Ian Bynoe, legal advisor Mind, England and Wales, and Knud Jensen (Den-

Belfast ERC – 23-24 November 1991

1992

20 mark) were the promoters of this programme, in collaboration with WHO-Euro representative Jorge Sampaio Faria.

A European conference on “The Hidden Power in Psychiatry: Restraints on Mentally Ill People” was organised in Blankenberge, Belgium on 13-15 November 1992. The objective for this conference was to produce guidelines to protect patients from harmful restraints and analyse the disparity in laws and practice in the different European countries.

Alarmed by the unacceptable conditions in the Portuguese psychiatric hospitals, John Henderson, Benedetto Saraceno and Josée Van Remoortel, with the support of the Portuguese Association for Mental Health (José Miguel Caldas de Almeida), organised visits and presented a reform plan to the Portuguese government.

Mental health developments in Central and Eastern Europe were also further promoted (Czech Republic, Baltic Countries, Romania), but also in Siberia (Tomsk, Irkutsk and Vladivostok).

In order to strengthen the reform actions in Greece the ERC organised its Annual Conference and General Assembly in Thessaloniki, Greece. The confer-

Josée Van Remoortel and John Henderson at work Lisbon Conference 1993 ›››

ence focused on the difficulties in Greece (Reform programme) and the new developments in Eastern Europe.

1993 was an important year in the history of the ERC-WFMH, the later Mental Health Europe.

Josée Van Remoortel’s term of office as President of the ERC and Vice President of WFMH came to an end in August 1993. John Henderson, Director of the Independent Team of Experts evaluating the special programme for reform of mental health care in Greece, was elected new Vice President by the WFMH in Japan at the WFMH General Assembly and as such also became the new president of the ERC. Josée Van Remoortel accepted to become Executive Director of the ERC in a voluntary capacity, a full time job though.

In August Werner Joosten was appointed administrative assistant to Mary Van Dievel.

And finally for the first time the newsletter was printed in English and French under the name “The Mental Health Observer”. Knud Jensen was its chief-editor.

Three Executive Committee meetings were held in Brussels and London and the General Assembly was held in conjunction with the ERC annual Conference in Lisbon (25-27 November).

1993-94

21 More than 300 delegates from 22 European Countries participated in an exchange of information and practices in the reform of mental health services.

Recommendations to pursue the need for a national policy on mental health in Portugal were well received by the Portuguese authorities.

In the frame of “1993 European Year of the Elderly and Solidarity between the Generations” different activities, workshops and conferences on mental health and ageing were organised throughout Europe. Jenny Steenhaut, chair of the ERC Committee on Mental Health and Ageing and supported by the ERC secretariat, represented the interests of elderly people with mental health problems in these events.

The Flemish Federation for community mental health centres conducted a “European survey on Good Practices in mental health care”; 150 innovative projects were selected.

A new exchange project “Home Exchange for users of sheltered houses” was set up between Prato in Italy, Paris in France, Edinburgh in Scotland and Ghent in Belgium. As well users as carers found it a very valuable and challenging experience.

status of the Council has been confirmed by law and an important consequence of that has been the acquisition of a permanent base for our office in Brussels within striking distance of the EU”.

A special Executive Committee meeting was organised on 21 March 1994 in which participated the ERC-WFMH Officers Josée Van Remoortel, Knud Jensen, Edith Morgan, President of the World Federation for Mental Health Federico Puente Silva, WFMH President Elect Beverly Long and Stanislas Flache, in order to discuss the collaboration between the European Regional Council of WFMH and the WFMH secretariat based in the USA. No formal agreement could be reached.

John Henderson started the introduction to the 1994 Annual Report with the sentence: “1994 has been an historic year for the ERC. The legislative

In December the secretariat was transferred to the new premises at Boulevard Clovis nr 7 in Brussels.

The new Statutes of the ERC-WFMH/Mental Health Europe were lodged at the Ministry of Justice in Brussels in January 1994 and the Regulations were confirmed in April 1994. New was that each country in the European Region was entitled to elect one or more members according to its size of population.

This new structure gave the possibility to strengthen the potentials of new and emergent countries as well as progressively strengthening our position towards the European Union, the European Parliament and the WFMH.”

Executive Committee – Brussels 21 March 1994

Belfast Conference 1994

22 The World Federation for Mental Health was not at all in favour of these developments. They claimed total authority for the finances and the recruitment of staff. The MHE Board chaired by John Henderson refused to comply with these conditions. The “separation” of the European Region from WFMH became unavoidable.

The inaugural meeting of the Committee on Legal and Human Rights was held in Brussels on 22 April 1994 and chaired by John Henderson. 14 members including users, lawyers, policy makers, mental health professionals and service providers set realistic objectives based on clear principles. One of these was to help with new policies and legislation in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and to look at the increasing tendency of treating antisocial behaviour as psychiatric problems. The Committee also commented on the Resolution of the Council of Europe (1029-94) on Psychiatry and Human Rights.

Thanks to the financial support of the European Commission, MHE set up some new projects such as: ✦✦ Mental health and social exclusion: a study in six European capitals (Athens, Brussels, Lisbon, London, Paris and Rome) was carried out to investigate the complex needs of people suffering marginalisation and mental illness.

Dublin 1995 WFMH Congress – Dublin 1995 ›››

✦✦ Mental health in Rural Areas: a new European Network was created composed of initiatives from Greece (Eubea), Italy (Molise), Portugal (Castello Branco), France (Lorquin) and the Netherlands (Kennemerland). CEPFAR, the European training centre for agriculture, was the European partner.

The objective was to look at the specific mental health problems that farmers experienced due to the growing crisis in the agriculture sector.

An important conference was held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from 1-4 September 1994, on the theme of “Conflict and Mental Health”. It was a unique and challenging experience to hold this conference in a place having endured political conflicts for such a prolonged period of time. The debates were given an added meaning and poignancy by the declaration – that same week-end – of the IRA cease-fire and the unfolding of a tentative peace process. The conference was an historic moment!

The top priority of the year 1995 was the consolidation of the work of MHE and the preparation of a policy statement.

An important event was the WFMH World Congress held in Dublin from 13-18 August 1995. The conference was a tremendous success, enhanced by

1995

23 the ambiance of Trinity College, the sunny weather and the very large attendance. More than 1600 delegates from 69 countries and a diversity of interests and background shared experiences and debated the theme “Time for Reflection”. The presence of ex-US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter, and Ireland’s President Mary Robinson, were adding to the prestige of the conference. John Henderson, ERC’s President, received a standing ovation for his rousing inaugural speech.

This outstanding congress was made possible thanks to Mary O’Mahony and her staff at the Irish Association for Mental Health, and all the volunteers who worked very hard to make the congress a real success.

During the WFMH Board meeting in Dublin important discussions took place on how to deal with the growing strength and importance of the WFMH regions, the share of work, responsibility and resources, but no decisions were taken. ERC President and WFMH Vice President for Europe John Henderson had to cope with growing tensions about the ERC’s

autonomy, the sharing of membership fees between WFMH and ERC, etc. etc.

Organising European Day of Disabled Persons was another challenge for the ERC. Together with Autism Europe and ILSMH (International League of Societies for the Mentally Handicapped) the third European Day of Disabled People was organised at the request and with the financial support of the European Commission. The European Day secretariat was based at the ERC premises; Nathalie Moyersoen was recruited as coordinator.

The theme was “Full Citizenship”, meaning that disabled people should have the same rights and liberty as all other citizens. The ERC, together with ENUSP, the European Network of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, worked on the theme of “Self-Determination”. A report on non-discrimination prepared by disabled and non disabled lawyers was presented and debated at the European Parliament on 7 December in presence of EU Commissioner for Social Affairs Padraig Flynn (Ireland).

Executive Committee at Boulevard Clovis – February 1995 Mary Van Dievel and Nathalie Moyersoen – EDDP 1996 ›››

24 In follow-up of the past years different activities to support the establishment of mental health associations in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), the ERC tried to set up a mental health association and to improve the standard of psychiatric services in Albania.

In Bulgaria, the Mental Health Association of Sovca organised its second convention on the theme “Education and Mental Health”.

Together with Romania a proposal was made to set up a “Balkan Federation for Mental Health” in order to bring together the countries with common problems and cultural backgrounds and enhance mutual support and strength, whilst continuing to be an intrinsic part of the ERC-WFMH.

The year 1996 opened with an important European conference in Bilbao, Spain, hosted by ERC member organisation ERAGINTZA on “Multidisciplinary activities in community care”.

An important decision taken by the MHE Board was to prepare a “Strategic Action Plan to the Year 2000”. In consultation with MHE members a statement of shared priorities was prepared. In the autumn the ERC Officers achieved on a retreat in Durban, Scotland, a Draft Strategic Action Plan to be presented to the Board in 1997.

The objective was to evaluate, together with the directors of mental health associations the priorities and challenges for the ERC and to prepare a strategic planning for the future.

Two meetings were organised by the ERC, bringing together the European Commission, the International Labour Office (ILO), the World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR), the Confederation of European Firms and Employment Initiatives for persons with psychosocial disabilities (CEFEC) and the European network of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry (ENUSP) to prepare a symposium on “Training and Employment for persons with a psycho-social disability”.

The symposium held in Sweden from 14-17 October 1995 was hosted by the Swedish Government and co-organised by the Swedish Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour.

The resolution of this symposium stated the need for the ILO Convention “159” concerning vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons, and to include the rights of persons with psychosocial disability to enjoy equal opportunity and treatment in respect of employment.

Due to the financial problems and the “non-sharing” of the membership fees with WFMH, the ERC set up a fundraising group. Its objective was to find co-funding for the different EU sponsored projects.

A new “European Network on Constraints in Psychiatry” was set up to prepare a conference based on clinical practice of the use of constraints in psychiatry. Five European Countries – Netherlands, Germany, UK, Ireland and Denmark – presented their very different, national legislations, regulations and practices in the use of constraints. Transnational collaboration and exchange of experiences proved to be a powerful tool in tackling the problem of constraint in psychiatry.

The European Commission’s Health Division confirmed the selection of the ERC-WFMH as the Liaison Office for Mental Health Promotion.

1996

25 MHE was also nominated as lead NGO in the mental health field with the Council of Europe for the revision of the “ICIDH” (International Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicaps) and with the World Health Organization for the regional WHO Mental Health Programme. A third recognition was the election of MHE as coordinator of mental health in the disability field.

From promotion and prevention to care and protection of human rights at all levels, the ERC tried to influence the policy developments at European level.

Lobbying of the European institutions, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the World Health Organization became an ongoing activity.

The Strategic Plan – initiated at the Board meeting in Dunbar, Scotland was well received and widely approved by the ERC General Assembly in Lahti, Finland in July 1997, where also changes in the statutes and in the membership structure were proposed.

Pirkko Lahti was elected as the WFMH Vice-President for Europe; John Henderson agreed to continue his strong involvement in a new capacity: Senior Policy Adviser.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Finnish Association for Mental Health, the World Federation for Mental Health held its world congress in Lahti, Finland in July 1997. Here again more than 1.000 delegates attended this very innovative congress. The midnight presentation by Dr. Harri Vertio “The Train of Time – Personal Railway” was an unforgettable, moving, mystical experience undoubtedly helped by the midnight light and the rustic setting. To remember the words of one of the delegates “Will those who were here, ever forget where they were at 15 minutes past midnight on Wednesday the 9th day of the seventh month of 1997?”.

A new two-years project on mental health promotion for families and children in the pre-school period was a first result of the ERC’s strong position as EC liaison office for mental health promotion.

A project on the implementation of the UN Standard Rules on equal opportunities for people with psychosocial disabilities, carried out together with ENUSP, EUFAMI, EuroPsy, CEFEC and Mind (UK) showed a new aspect of the work of the ERC.

Pirkko Lahti – World Congress 1997

1997

26 A formal collaboration with the Geneva Initiative on Psychiatry (GIP) was officially agreed. The objective was to work closer together in Central and Eastern European Countries and the former USSR on the abolition of political psychiatry and the development of mental healthcare programmes in these countries.

At a meeting in October 1997 it was agreed to establish strong links between the ERC and the World Health Organization European Region’s “Health in Prisons” project. The effective collaboration between the WHO-Task Force on Mental Health Promotion and Prevention and the MHE liaison office for Mental Health Promotion was felt of major importance by all the members.

A new committee on “Minorities and Mental Health” was set up and attracted a considerable membership. Charles Watters, UK, undertook a survey in 18 European countries. It was deemed most appropriate to develop a training programme for people who were interested to act as advocates or counsellors within the mental health systems.

A European Masters programme was set up by the universities of Kent, UK (Charles Watters), Sweden and the Netherlands.

The ERC was selected in the first list of NGOs entitled to submit collective complaints for violation of the European Social Charter. This meant that the ERC, along with 26 other international NGOs, was entitled to present complaints on issues relating to economic and social rights. Josée Van Remoortel was accepted as observer to represent the ERC at the Council of Europe’s Working Party on Psychiatry

and Human Rights (a sub-committee of the committee of Bio-ethics and Bio-medicine). This gave a new stimulus to develop the ERC work programme.

1998 was for MHE one of the most difficult years.

The organisation had so many problems to face at the same time that this caused a lot of uncertainty.

The change of structure and statutes was one of the important ones. Another major difficulty was the loss of the EU co-ordinating grant which the ERC had been receiving for more than 10 years.

Increasing the awareness of decision makers, political officials and experts on the specific needs of the mental health sector, was and still is, the main objective of our organisation’s action.

The General Assembly in Edinburgh on 4 July 1998 took the decision to change the name of the organisation in “Mental Health Europe – Santé Mentale Europe”. It was agreed to keep “European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health” as a sub name. It was a very difficult meeting but Marten de Vries, WFMH President who was also present, congratulated ERC-WFMH President Pirkko Lahti with the decision and said this development might serve as an example for other WFMH regions.

This was again a major step in Mental Health Europe’s history: no longer the long European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health, but short and clear – Mental Health Europe.

Due to the financial problems the Mental Health Observer’s format was reduced, but the Committees on the contrary were very active: ✦✦ The Committee on mental health and social exclusion met three times

1998

27 ✦✦ The Committee on mental health and minorities met twice, in Edinburg and in London, to discuss the report on the survey conducted in 18 countries on mental health services for minority groups and refugees ✦✦ The Committee on equal opportunities and employment met 4 times in Vught (the Netherlands), Milan (Italy), Kolding (Denmark) and Lisbon, Portugal. The Committee carried out a project on the application of the “UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for people with disabilities”. A number of good and bad practices were selected in these 4 countries.

The Edinburg conference “A Pabulum Banquet” in July 2008 was one of the European conferences that everyone who was present will remember. It was “a good banquet to be invited to” as many of the participants said. During the final plenary with “roving” rapporteurs, Judi Clements, Director of MIND, summed up with the following words “ambition, belief, creativity, diversity, employment and fun”. All of this in addition to a torchlight procession, theatre, dancing, a reception at Edinburgh Castle, bagpipe music, a spectacular birthday card for WFMH’s 50th anniversary and a balloon release made the 1998 conference a memorable occasion.

In 1999, the change of name of the organisation was officialised by its publication in the Belgian Official Journal of 25 May. MHE continued its coordinating role in the mental health field. In order to ensure the survival of the organisation, lobbying at all European levels was badly needed. Meetings took place with the European Health Commissioner Padraig Flynn in Ireland and in Brussels, as well as with Mrs Schulte-Braucks, Director at Directorate General Employment, with Barbara Schmidbauer, President of the European Parliament’s All Party Disability Group and with the Health Intergroup to convince them that more political actions should be taken in the mental health field in Europe.

In between all the ongoing projects and representations were continued with WHO-Euro; MHE was able to renew its leading role as well in the group on prevention in mental health as in the one on mental health in prisons.

A new project on mental health promotion for children up to 6 years of age was set up with EU support in 16 European countries.

The European Parliament put “mental health” on the agenda of the “EU Health Forum Intergroup” on 18 November in order to raise awareness for mental health and to emphasise the need for the European Union to consider mental health as a priority for the years to come.

1999

MHE is born

28 During the General Assembly in Sinaia, Romania in September 1999, the new working rules were adopted. Aart Jan Vrijlandt (Netherlands) was elected MHE President, as a consequence of Pirkko Lahti (Finland) being elected President of WFMH. 13 new MHE Board members were elected.

Regular consultations with WFMH headquarters on the sharing of the membership fees did not come to a positive result. WFMH feared the consequences for its other regions and refused autonomous financement.

Due to financial problems, it was no longer possible to publish the printed magazine “The Mental Health Observer”; instead a “homemade” Newsletter was produced.

But the year 2000 brought back hope and strength!

For more than two decades MHE had been promoting and representing mental health in Europe. It found recognition and acknowledgement for its leading and innovative role and the benefits of hav-

ing a European voice for mental health had become evident for the EU. MHE was granted funding for some new EU projects: ✦✦ “Promoting social inclusion of people with mental health problems, a challenge for the EU.” It was conducted in four countries (Austria, Finland, France and UK) and focused on housing, employment, daily living and media. It was cofinanced by the European Commission’s Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (DG EMPL) ✦✦ Mental health promotion of adolescents and young people, co-financed by the European Commission’s Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) ✦✦ “To live in health and dignity” aiming at the promotion of mental health and reintegration of socially disadvantaged people, a project conducted in 10 European countries and also co-funded by DG EMPL. New was the launch of a very informative website with links enabling visitors to contact organisations involved in MHE’s work.

The relations with the WFMH did not develop positively; neither the fee-sharing nor the sharing of responsibilities towards the common members could be achieved in a structural way. The gap between both organisations became even wider.

At the MHE Board meeting in Athens, Greece, in September 2000, Josée Van Remoortel announced that she wanted to reduce her tasks and that a new “paid” director should be employed. This was yet another challenge for MHE.

MHE Reporting Meeting – November 1999

2000

29 The MHE President started his message in the 2001 annual report saying “2001 was a year of changes”.

Josée Van Remoortel left the function of director and became Senior Policy Adviser. Pascale Van den Heede took up her new position as paid director in May 2001. Her task and ambition was to attract more members and to be more “attractive” to potential funders.

With the ongoing support of both Senior Policy Advisers John Henderson and Josée Van Remoortel, MHE continued its strategic role and participated in different “pressure” groups.

Its legal status, its official relationship with WHOEuro, its consultative status with the Council of Europe, its leading role in the forum of NGO’s in the mental health field and its liaison function in the mental health promotion to the EU, made it an important “non contournable” NGO in Europe.

As such MHE continued its participation in different European projects, conferences and partnerships.

MHE was also co-organiser of the European conferences organised in the frame of the Belgian European Union Presidency 2001. The first was on “Coping with stress and depression in Europe” and the second on “employment and disability”.

More important however was MHE’s own congress in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from 7-9 March under the leadership of Aart Jan Vrijlandt and with a challenging title: “Improving the Visibility: A European Dialogue on Mental Health”. This conference was honoured by the presence of David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health, Els Borst-Eilers, Dutch Minister for Health and Sport, Jean Claus, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Jos Jonkers from the European Commission’s DG EMPL, Horst Kloppenburg from DG SANCO and Wolfgang Rutz from WHO–Euro’s mental health division. This showed the importance the different departments gave to MHE’s activities and role.

Farewell Ceremony Josée van Remoortel as Director of MHE – 2001 Board Meeting 2001 ›››

2001

30 2002 was a year of progress and development.

There was a growing interest from the European Union for mental health issues and the burden of mental illness on society. MHE employed five people who are responsible for the coordination of different EU projects.

At the General Assembly in March a new President was elected: Leo De Graaf, psychiatrist and director of a big mental hospital in the Netherlands. The President, together with Claude Deutsch, Vice-President (France), Peter Kampman, Secretary, UK and Karl Dantendorfer, Treasurer, Austria, formed the new Executive Committee assisted by John Henderson, Edith Morgan and Josée Van Remoortel.

The Council of Europe published a report on “Community living for people in need of high level support”. MHE was asked to become a member of their Committee, focusing its input on the group of persons with mental health, psychological, cognitive or behavioural problems.

2002 –Board Barcelona

2003 was the “European Year of People with Disabilities” and therefore a high number of activities focused on raising awareness of the rights of people with psychosocial disabilities to full equality and participation in all areas of life.

In the public health field suicide among young people was a hot topic and MHE undertook a project aiming at producing country-based guidelines for suicide prevention.

A 2-years project on harassment and discrimination of people with mental health problems in the health sector started in 2003. MHE playing an important role in raising awareness and combating the taboos, stigma, prejudice and discrimination associated with mental illness, this project was of crucial importance.

In 2003 the MHE Board proposed the cancellation of the statutory affiliation to the World Federation for Mental Health. This proposal was agreed.

On 23 August Edith Morgan Founder member of ERC-WFMH and MHE, died after a short illness.

Edith was widely known as one of the first persons

2002-03

31 to promote working in partnership with mental health service users. Throughout her long career she focused on ending the stigma attached to mental illness and she developed community-based solutions and social justice. She was a remarkable woman and we are proud to have known her and to have worked with her. She was one of the founders of the ERC – WFMH and as such continued on a voluntary basis to serve MHE. She will be remembered with great love and affection and true thanks for her collaboration and commitment.

The year 2004 was a particular difficult year for MHE, in many respects.

There were major financial problems caused by the increased amount of co-financing requested by the European Commission and the impossibility to get new funding sources. Director Pascale Van den Heede was dismissed together with two other staff members. Mary Van Dievel was immediately appointed as acting director and later, in November, as director of MHE.

Mary Van Dievel was known and appreciated by everybody for her long experience of working with the European Commission, her excellent knowledge of project applications and her skills in managing the association. Having worked closely together with JosĂŠe Van Remoortel since the beginning of MHE, the leadership was in good hands.

Also in 2004 a new Board was elected at the General Assembly in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. Five new Board members were welcomed. Claude Deutsch, a psychologist from France, was elected as the new President. He was the very first MHE President who had the French nationality.

Important in 2004 was the recognition by the Council of Europe as an NGO entitled to lodge collective complaints. Bringing together 46 European countries the Council of Europe aims at defending human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. It also aims at human rights, education and culture. Only a handful organisations have been given the right to lodge complaints.

On 22 September the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the Recommendation (Rec 2004.10) to member states concerning the protection of the human rights and dignity of persons with mental disorders, together with an explanatory memorandum.

After the historic enlargement of the Union European in 2004, with the accession of ten new member states, Mental Health Europe had to look for new ways of collaboration with as well the NGOs from the new member states as with the new Members of European Parliament (MEPs).

Leo de Graaf and Pirkko Lahti

2004

32 In February Richard Hunter, former Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health passed away at the age of 89. His career as a mental health advocate and reformer spanned over sixty years. He created the World Federation’s World Mental Health Day – 10 October. Since its inception, World Mental Health has gained recognition as the main public awareness education programme in the mental health field. Nearly 200 countries worldwide celebrate World Mental Health Day each year.

The year 2005 started with the approval of the WHO-Euro Declaration and Action Plan for Mental Health by all WHO-Euro member states. This was followed in October by the European Union’s launch of a Green Paper “Improving the mental health of the population: Towards a strategy on mental health for the European Union” addressing the decisions taken in January. These decisions, taken at the highest level, would certainly change mental health policies in the member states.

The General Assembly of Mental Health Europe approved the changes in the statutes in order to comply with the new Belgian law for international NGOs and the legal requirements of the Belgian Ministry of Justice.

Enhancing the capacities of MHE’s members was certainly the major objective of the new Board. How could they become more involved in the European Union health, social protection and human rights projects? Three seminars were organised to raise the awareness of member associations and board members on the fight against discrimination, the new WHO-Euro Declaration and Action Plan on Mental

2005-06

Health (The Way Forward), and human rights in mental health.

The relevance of a social inclusion strategy in the mental health field was also a priority in 2005.

Within the Social Inclusion Strategy, Mental Health Europe set up a new project on “Good Practices for Combating Social Exclusion of People with Mental Health Problems”. It was conducted in ten countries in order to demonstrate the link between mental health problems and social exclusion. Best practices to tackle those inequalities in different fields were looked for. Trans-national exchange and transferable, effective, innovative projects were collected.

The Readers’ Survey was a new initiative that enabled MHE to ensure that its Newsletter was useful and relevant for its members. With the information that was collected in this way, MHE was able to enhance its news bulletin.

Many developments and achievements in the European mental health scene took place in 2006. These included the consultation on the European Commission Green Paper on Mental Health, the Social Inclusion Strategy and the Member States’ National Reports on strategies for social protection and social inclusion.

The visible commitment of Mental Health Europe in many projects and partnerships gave also the possibility to advance the needs of people with mental health problems, discrimination or social exclusion.

Also in 2006, the Board elected a new President: Margolzata Kmita from the United Kingdom took over the presidency from Claude Deutsch.

33 A number of ongoing projects were continued: ✦✦ Participation in the DG Employment and Social Affairs stakeholders peer review ✦✦ Coordination of the EC project on Mental Health Economics European Network ✦✦ Mental Health Europe seminar on the EC Green Paper on “Mental Health: Time for Action” ✦✦ Participation in the meeting of the European Union Consultation Platform on Mental Health with the aim of promoting cross-sectoral cooperation and consensus on the European Union Mental Health Strategy ✦✦ Publication of the report on the situation of social exclusion of people with mental health problems ✦✦ Involvement in the European Coalition for Community Living (ECCL) management and steering group ✦✦ Participation in the European Disability Forum task force on community living and in the committee on complex dependency needs ✦✦ Involvement in the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) on human rights of people with mental health problems.

2007

2007 was the European Year of Equal Opportunities, initiated in Berlin and concluded in Lisbon, but the positive action continued well beyond 2007.

Mental Health Europe’s work programme was entitled “From exclusion to inclusion: making social inclusion a reality for people with mental health problems”. With this work programme Mental Health Europe made a significant step towards the promotion of social exclusion, towards a European society in which all people enjoy a high level of mental health, live as full citizens and have access to their human rights and support.

In 2007 Mental Health Europe’s conference and General Assembly were held in Vienna in partnership with Pro Mente Austria. The conference under the theme “No Health without Mental Health – from slogan to reality” was very well attended.

The conference focussed on the outcomes of the consultation process on the European Commission’s Green Paper “Improving the mental health of the population”, and the strategy for the next years. Main point of discussion was the connection and the coherence between European policies and the impact they have on the mental health of the

MHE Conference Vienna – May-June 2007 ‹‹‹ Conference Dinner – Vienna 2007

34 population. Lectures, round-table discussions and workshops gave opportunity for sharing information and deepening knowledge but also for an exchange of good practice. It gave the opportunity to raise awareness among policy makers and politicians about mental health being the key indicator for progress in economic, social and human rights matters.

Elisabeth Muschik and the Pro Mente Vienna team also organised an unforgettable social evening in a Vienna “Heuriger”.

During the conference, a one-day satellite session was devoted to the outcomes of the MHE European project on “Good practices for combating social exclusion of people with mental health problems”, conducted in 10 EU Member States.

A report with a directory of good practices and policy recommendations was put together and published.

In December, a vibrant debate took place at the European Parliament on “Equal Chance, Equal Respect: Promoting mental well-being in employment”. The event was hosted by John Bowis MEP. At this event it was recognised that work-related stress and mental health problems are often linked.

In 2008 Mental Health Europe organised a European conference in Aalborg, Denmark, on the theme “Diversity in Mental Health and Well-being: an opportunity for intercultural dialogue”. This event was memorable and inspiring. It was also the first meeting of the newly established 27 National Focal Points. They will act as an invaluable resource for communication between the institutions of the European Union and the different member states.

2008-09

Mental Health Europe’s role is to act as a conduit in the communication process to facilitate training and share of information.

Another important action was the European Union Pact for Mental Health and Well-being. Mental Health Europe was an important player in carrying forward the implementation of the Pact in the European Union member states.

In the human rights field, Mental Health Europe actively participated in the work of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and in the monitoring of the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Social Charter.

Mental Health Europe started a new project on gender in mental health. With funding from the European Union’s Daphne Programme, a two years project on “Violence against women at work... Let’s talk about it! The mental health impacts of violence and harassment against women at work” was set up in 8 countries: Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.

In 2009 MHE’s National Focal Points (NFPs) set up in 2008 became fully operational. They supported MHE in its campaign for the European Parliament elections, contacted their national members of European Parliament and their political parties, in order to influence their electoral programme, using the MHE Manifesto which put forward key priorities and policy recommendations.

The MHE secretariat organised trainings for its National Focal Points, aiming to provide the participants with tools to carry out their work most efficiently.

35 The European Pact for Mental Health and Wellbeing, launched in 2008, was being implemented through thematic conferences. MHE was involved in the preparation of the thematic conference on “Mental Health in Youth and Education” (Stockholm, 29-30 September) and the one on “Prevention of Depression and Suicide” (Budapest, 10-11 December) and also contributed at these events.

MHE was also speaking at other key EU events around the Pact’s priorities, such as the Round table on Reducing the Psychosocial Impact of the Financial and Economic Crisis (Brussels, 27 April), the seminar on Health and Gender (Brussels, 13 May) and the one of “Destigmatisation and Improving the Quality of Care in Psychiatry (Prague, 28-29 May).

tal health problems in all aspects of life. The campaign highlighted the abilities of people with mental health problems rather than their inabilities, through a positive approach.

MHE was engaged in the draft of the European Parliament report on mental health, which was unanimously adopted in February 2009, and endorsed the European Parliament proposal to set up a multi-stakeholders consultative platform to implement the Pact.

Together with FEANTSA, the European federation of associations for homeless people, MHE published a joint policy statement and key recommendations on homelessness and mental health for the newly elected Members of European Parliament (MEPs).

Targeted policy measures aimed at fighting extreme poverty, social exclusion and homelessness are needed as they have an unquestionable impact on people’s health, including mental health.

Another successful achievement was MHE’s engagement as member of the Ad Hoc Expert Group on the transition from institutional to community-based care. A report and key recommendations on the deinstitutionalisation process in the EU Member States were produced and presented to the European Commission.

Finally, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day (10 October), MHE launched its campaign “Mental health and social inclusion. Making steps”, advocating for the integration of people with men-

Together with the European Network of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP), MHE organised an empowerment seminar on 13-14 March in Brussels. Twenty-six mental health service users from 20 countries gathered to exchange their views and discuss the future of their organisation. The main issue addressed at the seminar was how to set realistic goals for ENUSP and how to achieve these in the next years. The co-operation between MHE and ENUSP demonstrated to be successful and fruitful.

MHE has been active in a project addressing the fundamental rights of people with mental health problems and people with learning disabilities launched in 2009 by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). MHE provided technical advice and successfully advocated for a specific focus on discrimination and the violation of the human rights of people with mental health problems.

36 And last but not least, there was the debate at the European Parliament on 30 November on “Poverty and Mental Health in the EU: a Human Rights Issue”, which was highlighting the link between poverty and mental health problems.

Also in 2010 a series of trainings for MHE’s National Focal Points was organised. This proved to be very efficient and to effectively improve their capacity to tackle various issues as well at the EU as at the national and local level.

In the frame of the MHE project co-funded by the EU Daphne Programme on “Violence against women at the workplace... Let’s talk about it”, an awareness raising poster was produced in English and translated into the 7 languages of the project partners: German, Lithuanian, Latvian, Greek, Slovenian, Romanian and Spanish.

The European Network of Users, ENUSP, with the support of MHE, organised a seminar in Thessaloniki (Greece) in September on the theme “Determining our own future: the way forward for all European users”.

2010 was declared the year of MHE’s 25th anniversary... The year started sadly with the death of John Henderson, MHE’s Senior Policy Adviser.

John was a remarkable man in every way; he was not only inspiring colleagues all over Europe with his knowledge and experience, but also raised critical comments when things were not in accordance with MHE’s objectives and vision. He was an extraordinary, committed person. All at MHE are still missing him very much...

In 2010 MHE was pleased that Stijn Jannes, professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Ghent, Belgium, and Past-President of MHE from 1981 to 1985, accepted to join MHE as Senior Policy Adviser. He will take over some of John’s activities.

Elisabeth Muschik, psychotherapist, one of MHE’s very active former Board members, former Director of Pro Mente Vienna and Vice-President of Pro Mente Austria, also accepted to become a MHE Senior Policy Adviser.

Again in the frame of its project “Violence against women at the workplace... Let’s talk about it” which started in 2009, a booklet was published in the frame of the awareness raising campaign targeting the key stakeholders with a view to improving understanding of the harmful mental health impacts of violence and harassment against women at work. The conclusions and recommendations, together with the poster and awareness raising booklet, would be presented at a one-day seminar at the European Parliament on 7 December, hosted by Milan Zver MEP. A new application to obtain core funding for MHE’s work programme 2011-2013 in the frame of the European Commission’s PROGRESS programme was submitted. MHE’s programme focuses on the specific concerns and expectations of people with mental health problems in the field of employment, and how these can be taken into account in and influence the EU and national policy-making.

Finally MHE’s awareness raising European Parliament event 2010 would focus on the forthcoming European Year 2011 on Volunteering.

2010

37 References Brody, Eugene (1998). The search for mental health. A history and memoirof WFMH 1948-1997 Morgan, Edith (1986). WFMH: looking ahead to 1988 – the 40th anniversary of WFMH Morgan, Edith (1994). Origins of the European Regional Council of the World Federation for Mental Health Beers, Clifford (1908)). A mind that found itself. New York: Longmans, Green Rees, John R. (1962). A personal history and account of the WFMH – US Committee of WFMH, inc.

Archives at the Flemish Association for Mental Health, Annual Reports and Newsletters.

38 Annex 1 Mental Health Europe congresses and conferences 1980 Ghent, Belgium – 31 March-3 April 1980

Alternatives to mental hospitals 1982 London, UK Professionals and volunteers: partners or rivals?

1983 Beaconsfield, Bucks, UK – 20 April 1983 Volunteers in mental health: the next five years 1984 Copenhagen, Denmark – 12-15 August 1984 Commitment and civil rights of mentally ill people 1986 D ublin, Ireland – 28 September - 1 October 1986 Attitudes towards mental illness and mentally ill 1989 London, UK – 18-19 May 1989 European situation of women in mental health

Bologna, Italy – 19-20 October 1989 Care of mentally ill people in the community

Warsaw, Poland, 5 November 1989 General Assembly in conjunction with the international symposium on Universalism 1990 Bremen, Germany – 4-5 May 1990 The mental health of children in European countries

1991 Prague, Czech Republic – May 1991 Mental health in European families. Family system – a new concept in mental health 1992 London, UK – 8-10 May 1992 Seclusion and alternatives in mental health

Blankenberge, Belgium – 13-15 November 1992 The hidden power in psychiatry 1993 Lisbon, Portugal – 25-27 November 1993 Reform of mental health services. New perspectives for mental health care in Europe

Brussels, Belgium – 2-4 December 1993

From assistance to re-socialisation

Antwerp, Belgium – 10-11 December 1993 Good practices in the care of older people with mental health problems 1994 Belfast, United Kingdom – 1-4 September 1994

Conflict and Mental Health Federicia, Denmark – 25-27 November 1994 Mental health associations: key partners in mental health developments

MENTAL HEALTH EUROPE SANTE MENTALE EUROPE aisbl Boulevard Clovis 7, B-1000 Brussels Tel +32 2 280 04 68 – Fax +32 2 280 16 04 E-Mail: info@mhe-sme.org www.mhe-sme.org

39 1995 Paris, France – 18-20 May 1995 From Exclusion to Participation – The impossible challenge?

Dublin, Ireland – 13-18 August 1995

World congress

Time for Reflection

2000 Athens, Greece – 27-30 September 2000 Promotion of Mental Health and Reintegration of Socially Disadvantaged People

1996 Bilbao, Spain – 18-21 January 1996 Multidisciplinary activities in community mental health care

Gent, Belgium – 28-30 March 1996 Sheltered accommodation for people with mental health problems

2002 Tallinn, Estonia – 7-9 November 2002

Rethinking Mental Welfare

1997 Lahti, Finland – 6-11 July 1997

World congress

Cornerstones for mental health 1998 Edinburg, UK – 2-4 July 1998

A Pabulum Banquet. Food for the Mind 1999 Copenhagen, Denmark – 6-8 May 1999 Exclusion – Dialogue. Conference on socially excluded mentally ill

Sinaia, Romania – 22-25 September 1999 Mental Health – A challenge for the third millennium

2001 Rotterdam, Netherlands – 6-8 March 2001 European conference on Mental Health: Visibly Improved, Improved Visibility

2003 Paris, France – 21-22 October 2003 From the caring of the person to the support of professionals 2004 Nova Gorica, Slovenia – 27-29 May 2004

Education in mental health 2007 Vienna, Austria – 31 May–2 June 2008 No Health without Mental Health – From Slogan to Reality 2008 Aalborg, Denmark – 7-9 August 2008 Diversity in mental health and well-being.

An opportunity for intercultural dialogue 2010 Brussels, Belgium – 22-23 October 2010 Challenging Poverty – Creating Hope.

Breaking the cycle of poverty and mental health problems

40 Annex 2 Regional Vice-Presidents of WFMH and Presidents of the ERC-WFMH Presidents of MHE 1971-1974 1974-1977 1977-1981 1981-1985 1985-1989 1989-1993 1993-1997 1997-1999 1999-2002 2002-2004 2004-2006 2006-2009 2009-

Kurt Palsvig, Denmark Marianne Cederblad, Sweden Edith Morgan, United Kingdom Stijn Jannes, Belgium Knud Jensen, Denmark JosĂŠe Van Remoortel, Belgium John Henderson, Scotland, UK Pirkko Lathi, Finland Aart Jan Vrijland, Netherlands Leo de Graaf, Netherlands Claude Deutsch, France Malgorzata Kmita, United Kingdom Nace Kovac, Slovenia

MHE Directors 1993-2001 2001-2004 2004-

JosĂŠe Van Remoortel Pascale Van den Heede Mary Van Dievel