About the conference

Mental health is increasingly recognised as a societal priority across Europe, but that recognition has not yet turned into the sustained, cross-sector investment people and communities need. Investing in mental health means investing in education, employment, housing, social protection and community support, not only in health services.

As negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034, get underway, there is a real opportunity to embed mental health across EU funding and policy priorities.

Mental Health Europe, together with its members the Estonian Coalition for Mental Health and Well-being (VATEK), the Estonian Mental Health Society, Mental Health Perspectives Lithuania and MIELI Mental Health Finland, is bringing together policymakers, researchers, civil society, practitioners and people with lived experience to explore how mental health investment can become concrete policy and funding decisions at EU and national level.

Programme at a glance

Draft programme. See the full agenda for all speakers.

09:15  Registration and coffee

10:00  Welcome and opening remarks
Hanah Lahe MP (Estonia), Dr Kadri Haljas (VATEK) and Karilė Levickaitė (President, Mental Health Europe)

10:15  The economic and societal case for investing in mental health
Aliénor Lerouge, OECD Public Health

11:00  Panel 1: Measuring the impact of mental health investment
Moderated by Sanna Vesikansa, MIELI Mental Health Finland

12:30  Networking lunch

13:45  Panel 2: From commitment to investment – translating EU priorities into national action
Moderated by Karilė Levickaitė, with speakers including Vice-Minister Ignas Rubikas (Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU) and DG SANTE, European Commission

15:15  Closing discussion: Regional priorities and next steps
Parliamentarians from Estonia, Lithuania and Finland, moderated by Dr Kadri Haljas. Closing remarks by Camille Roux, Mental Health Europe