Towards collaboration on mental health in the Small Countries Initiative: background paper

Overview

This background document was developed specifically for reporting on the status of the eleven countries participating in the Small Countries Initiative (‎SCI)‎ (‎Andorra, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Slovenia)‎ regarding collaboration on mental health at the Ninth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative (‎SCI)‎, Luxembourg, 10–12 May 2023. It summarizes discussions at an online meeting involving mental health experts from the SCI countries, focusing on key priorities such as enhancing mental health support for children and adolescents, strengthening the mental health workforce, and addressing the pervasive issue of stigma and discrimination in mental health care. The meeting underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among small countries to advance mental health care and identified specific actions for the future, emphasizing continuous professional development, empowering individuals with lived experience, and investing in evidence-based campaigns to combat stigma.