The Luxembourg Institute of Health has launched the project 'Santé Publique et Santé Mentale (SPSM) - Employabilité en Europe' which aims to improve the quality of professional support to people living with mental illness in Europe with a view to facilitating their reintegration into the labour market.
The project, funded by Erasmus, is led by Dr. Laurence Fond-Harmant of the Luxembourg Institute of Health. Dr Fond-Harmant, in his capacity as researcher at the Department of Population Health of LIH which he has held since 2006, has contributed to the development of many national and international projects concerned with psycho-social and political approaches to issues in Public and Mental Health.
This newest action has assembled the expertise of a network of partners from 5 European countries, including Féderation Agaspsy (FR); Fondation Trajets (CH); Article 23 asbl (B); and Université Aurel Vlaicu d'Arad (ROM).
The LIH has also collaborated with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Ateliers Thérapeutiques Protégés, job coaching association ATP Asbl, and the Centre de Santé Mentale on this project. The combination of research centres and universities, as well as psycho-social structures specialised in employment and training centres for those with mental illnesses intends to holistically tackle the issues at hand.
The project, due to last three years, was first launched in September 2014 as a means of combatting the stigma, and facilitating the understanding of, mental illness. The subject has been previously particularly emphasised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in their Mental Health 2013-2020 action plan, who have stressed the importance of allowing "people with these disorders [...] to participate fully in societal and professional life".
The LIH stated that the lack of in-depth understanding of mental illnesses which is often exhibited in the community is coupled with very few opportunities in the professional world for those affected, comprising their chances to integrate fully into the world of work.
The programme is comprised of several facets over a three-year period: including an analysis of the needs of patients in the participating countires of Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Romania; the development of a repository of skills required for social professionals, based on analysis conducted in partnership with professionals of the business world; and the establishment of pilot training seminars and recommendations at a European level.
