Joint statement: Council of Europe takes a positive step on autonomy in mental health care

We applaud the adoption of the Recommendation on respect of autonomy in mental healthcare by the Council of Europe on the 17^th of June.

The Recommendation places autonomy, informed consent, and respect for individual will and preferences at the centre of mental health care. This represents a significant step forward in aligning mental health policies with human rights standards, in particular the principles enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

It signals a clear move away from paternalistic and coercive practices, towards rights-based, person-centred approaches that recognise individuals as active participants and rights holders rather than passive recipients of care.

The principles set out in this recommendation are of fundamental importance for persons with disabilities, notably persons with psychosocial disabilities who are disproportionately subjected to forced treatment and placement in psychiatric care.

Importantly, the Recommendation benefits all persons experiencing mental health problems, by promoting dignity, participation, and trust in care systems. Ensuring that support is provided on the basis of free and informed consent not only strengthens individual rights, but also contributes to more effective and inclusive mental health services.

We now call on the Council of Europe Member States to fully implement this Recommendation, including through:

• Legislative reforms, policy initiatives and investments in community-based services;
• Meaningful involvement of persons with lived experience in the design, delivery, and evaluation of mental health policies.

This is essential to ensure that autonomy and human rights are not only recognised in principle but realised in practice.

Signatories

Gunta Anca, President

European Disability Forum

Karilė Levickaitė, President

Mental Health Europe

Olga Kalina, Chair

European Network of (Ex)-Users and Survivors of Psychiatry

Jyrki Pinomaa, President

Inclusion Europe

Harald T. Neerland, President

Autism-Europe

Mr. Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, President

Comité Español de Representantes de Personas con Discapacidad

Jean-Luc Simon, Chair

Disabled Peoples’ International – Europe

Dinka Vukovic, President

European Down Syndrome Association

Kirsi Konola, President

European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities

Athina Fragkouli, President

Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos

Quotes

Gunta Anca, EDF President:

“We welcome this step from the Council of Europe to align itself with human rights standards.  Autonomy, informed consent, and respect for the individual are the bare minimum to respect persons with disabilities, and key to ensure a successful experience in health care.”

Karilė Levickaitė, Mental Health Europe President:

“This Recommendation marks a profound turning point, placing human dignity and self-determination at the heart of mental healthcare across Europe. By decisively moving the Council of Europe away from an era of institutional coercion toward a deep respect for autonomy, this historic milestone offers a unique opportunity to fundamentally reshape mental healthcare and advance the true implementation of the UN CRPD.”