Advocacy Initiatives
The EPA has consolidated its role as a key stakeholder in the EU and UN mental and public health policy arenas since the opening of its Brussels Office in May 2015. The Association advocates for evidence-informed policies co-developed with clinicians, patients, and caregivers. This is possible with the support of the psychiatry community and through partnerships with organisations representing stakeholders across the space. Among the achievements of its advocacy and partnerships, the EPA counts the official representation of the mental health patients’ association, GAMIAN-Europe, and family caregivers association, EUFAMI, in its Board.
Advocacy Campaigns
The EPA, EUFAMI, and GAMIAN-Europe established the Trilogue of Mental Health. The partnership includes the promotion of each organisation’s vision for mental health ahead of the EU Elections in June 2024.
Advocacy Events
First introduced in 2015, the EPA Forum precedes the official opening of the annual European Congress of Psychiatry. It brings together the EPA community, EU and UN institutional representatives, civil society organisations, and diverse stakeholders in the field of mental health and care from across Europe. The most recent edition was be held under the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Personalised and Innovative Pathways towards Mental Health.”
Policy Consultations
The EPA submitted a response to the European Commission Consultation on Cardiovascular Health Checks, calling for people with severe mental illness to be explicitly recognised as a high risk population in screening programmes for cardiovascular health.