Mental health is basic human right for all.

This includes the right to protection from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable and good quality care and the right to freedom, independence and community inclusion. Mentally ill people are not “invisible”, the Ministry of Health emphasizes in its announcement for today’s World Mental Health Day.

The 10th of Octoberthe release states, “it emphasizes the importance of our actions to protect and help those people who are suffering. One in eight people worldwide live with mental health conditions, which can affect their physical health, well-being, how they connect with others and their livelihoods. Mental health conditions are also affecting a growing number of teenagers and young adults».

The Greek government and the Ministry of Health, it is added, aim to complete the Psychiatric Reform in our country, 30 years after its inception, fully implementing the European acquis and proceeding with major legislative interventions. With the upcoming legislative initiative, 25 years after the passing of the previous law on mental health, the evolution of Psychiatric Hospital organizations into Networks of Mental Health Services will be implemented, which will include all relevant primary and secondary structures. Community Networks of Mental Health Services will be created in each Health Region under a single service and scientific Administration.

The National Action Plan for Mental Health 2021-2030, which was prepared in collaboration with the World Health Organization, includes for the first time costed structures, actions and programs that are implemented and grouped into Ten Intervention Axes, the announcement states.

Already with resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, 60 new mental health structures have been developed in the community, which provide their services free of charge to all citizens. New Day Centers & Mobile Units for Children and Adolescents, for Adults, to support workers, to support families, for special groups such as people with dementia and people with autism, are completely changing the map of mental health. New Boarding Schools for people with serious mental illnesses, for people with dementia and related disorders and for people with autism have also been established in many parts of the country.

A further 40 such structures will have been developed by the end of 2023, while at the same time 80 interventions in public structures and mental health services, such as psychiatric clinics in hospitals, have been launched and will be implemented to improve building infrastructure and purchase equipment.

All the above projects reach 65 million euros and the necessary resources are secured.