Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-being

WP7 on Mental Health and Schools

The Work Package nr. 7 on Mental Health and Schools of the 2013-15 European Community Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-being will be led by Italy.
The Italian Ministry of Health in agreement with the Health Commission of Italian Regions has attributed the leadership of WP7 to the Veneto Region Department of Health.
The WP7 will be co-ordinated by the Mental Health Office of Veneto Region Department of Health through the Veneto Region Coordination Centre for European Project Management (CReMPE-AOUI Verona).

Associated Partners: Malta, Croatia, Iceland, United Kingdom, Norway, Slovakia, Estonia, Finland
Collaborating Partners: European Social Network, European Regional and Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA), Schools for Health in Europe (SHE), Eurochild, EuroHealthNet, Italian Ministery of Health, University of Cagliari (Italy), Lithuania

Description of the Work
The WP aims to develop an action framework for cooperation between the health and social sector and the education sector on the management of mental illness prevention and mental health and well-being promotion, including educational attainment,  among children and adolescents as part of a commonly endorsed action framework on mental health and well being in Europe.
The main focus of this WP is on developing and implementing policies that may contribute to a more effective cooperation between the health and social sector and the education sector.
The main objectives of this project include:

• the promotion of individual, social, societal and environmental skills and conditions that enable optimal social and psycho-physiological development, including educational attainment;
• the prevention of  psycho-social distress, especially in adolescence, that may lead to psychopathological diseases in adulthood, excluding learning difficulties and intellectual disabilities that belong to a different domain;
• the cooperation between the health and social sector and the education sector on the management of mental illness prevention and mental health and well-being promotion, including educational attainment, among children and adolescents.

Documents: 

• WP7 on Mental Health and School: detailed proposal [pdf 250KB]
• WP7 on Mental Health and School: presentation (pdf 900Kb)
• The right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (Article. 24), Convention on the Rights of the Child, General comment No. 15 (2013) (pdf 370Kb)
• Investing in children: breaking the cycle of disadvantage, European Commission Recommendation, 20/02/2013 (pdf 135Kb)
• Developing integrated systems of mental health services for children and adolescents in Sweden, presentation by Fredrik Lindencrona and Tomas Bokström, October 2012 [pdf 620KB]
• Mental Health Glossary - Regione Lombardia, Milan (Italy) 2011 (pdf 570Kb)
• Promoting Mental Health of Children and Adolescents  [pdf 800KB]
• Health Promotion International  [pdf 250KB]
• Education promotion through health Status and perspectives of the good healthy schools  [pdf 1,5MB]
• Education and training 2020: EU cooperation on schools, presentation by Tapio Saväälä, October 2011   [pdf 730KB]
• Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being of Children and Young People [pdf 280KB]
• Promotion of mental health and well-being of children and young people - making it happen, Background document for the thenatic conference, Swedish National Institute of Public Health 29th - 30th September 2009, Stockholm (pdf 1,3Mb)
• Framework for Action on Promotion of Mental Health and Well-Being of Children and Young People, Background document for the thenatic conference, Swedish National Institute of Public Health 29th - 30th September 2009, Stockholm (pdf 2Mb)

Links:

http://www.mentalhealthandwellbeing.eu/ Official Website of the Joint Action
http://ec.europa.eu/health/mental_health/policy/index_en.htm - European Commission, Mental Health Policy
http://www.seyle.eu/ - SEYLE is a health promoting program for adolescents implemented in European schools

References:

• Adi, Y., Schrader McMillan, A., Kiloran, A. and Stewart-Brown, S. (2007) Systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions to promote mental wellbeing in primary schools: Universal Approaches with focus on prevention of violence and bullying. London: National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
• Caplan, M., Weissberg, R.P., Grober, J.S., Sivo, P.J., Grady, K. and Jacoby, C. (1992) Social competence promotion with inner-city and suburban young adolescents: Effects on social adjustment and alcohol use. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 60: 56-63.
• CASEL (2009b) Social and Emotional Learning and Student Benefits. Online. Available HTTP: www.casel.org/downloads/EDC_CASELSELResearchBrief.pdf
• Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., and Schellinger, K. (2011). The impact of enhancing students? social and emotional learning: A metaanalysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development 82: 474-501.
• Durlak, J., and Wells, A. (1997) „Primary prevention mental health programs for children and adolescents: a meta-analytic review.? American Journal of Community Psychology 25(2): 115-152.
• Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R.P., O?Brien, M.U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. (2003) School-based prevention: Promoting positive social development through social and emotional learning. American Psychologist 58(6/7).
• Shucksmith, J., Summerbell, C., Jones, S., and Whittaker, V. (2007) Mental Wellbeing of Children in Primary Education (targeted/indicated activities). London: National Institute of Clinical Excellence
• Weare, K. (2004) Developing the Emotionally Literate School. London: Sage.
• Wells, J., Barlow, J., and Stewart-Brown, S. (2003) A systematic review of universal approaches to mental health promotion in schools. Health Education 103(4): 197-220.
• Zins, J.E., Weissberg, R.P., Wang, M.C. and Walberg, H. (2004) Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning. New York: Columbia Teachers College.