WHO supports Ukraine by organizing a knowledge exchange with mental health policy-makers in Belgium

Representatives of half a dozen Ukrainian organizations visited Belgian mental health service facilities as part of a knowledge exchange program to learn about the structure, governance and policies that enabled mental health reform in Belgium and collect experiences that will benefit the process of transformation of mental health services in Ukraine.

Cooperation with Belgian partners was launched as part of the Pan-European Mental Health Coalition by the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, in 2021. A first study visit has just been completed high-level, which has given rise to new networks between policy-makers and emerging opportunities that address their current needs.

“We are honored to support Ukraine in this vital transformation of knowledge and experience that will have a profound effect on the provision of mental health care in the country,” said Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine.

Representatives of the Office of the First Lady of Ukraine, the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for the Barrier-Free Environment, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Department of Health of the Kyiv Oblast state administration and the country The WHO office in Ukraine visited mental health service providers and had productive discussions with the Belgian partners who are responsible for implementing the reform. Visits to the Emergo network for adults, the Uneco network for children and the Duffel University Psychiatric Center provided insights into how service providers, users and partners can share information and ensure that the diverse needs of patients are met in a consistent manner. timely and efficient. .

“This study visit gave us the opportunity to establish a constructive dialogue with the representatives of the Belgian network and to gain valuable insights into its coordination and management,” stressed Alisa Ladyk-Bryzghalova, mental health program leader at Belgium’s country office. WHO in Ukraine.

In total, there are 20 networks for adults and 11 networks for children/teenagers operating in Belgium. A single network coordinates a range of public and private, specialist and non-specialist, frontline care, outreach and clinic-based health and social services, and has links to shelters, housing and residential care. It also exchanges information with schools and cultural and educational centers. The network offers people with mental health problems access to primary health care, wellness centers or other services in their respective communities, which can provide basic support and refer them to specialized care if necessary. Outreach services provided by community mental health teams consult service users and gradually replace inpatient services and office-based mental health care.

The Ukrainian delegation had the opportunity to study how the network works both vertically and horizontally. The horizontal level ensures collaborative decision-making with regional ministries and partners, while the vertical level emphasizes direct communication with the national ministry and the reform office. The methodology and approaches for managing the network were presented to the Ukrainian partners. Mental health care policy makers will continue with the targeted training program to start the process of transforming the provision of mental health services in Ukraine.

The study visit was prepared under the leadership of Frank Vandenbroucke, Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health of Belgium, and Dr. Bernard Jacob, Federal Coordinator of Mental Health Care Reform in Belgium, as a follow-up to the commitment made at the meeting. Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska earlier this year.