The European Commission has launched new calls for proposals under the EU4HEALTH programme. The programme was adopted as a response to the pandemic, but goes beyond crisis response to address the resilience of European healthcare systems.
First Proposal
The call is titled ”Call for proposals on the prevention of NCDs in the area of mental health including actions supporting vulnerable population groups, such as migrants, refugees, Roma people and displaced people from Ukraine” (EU4H-2023-PJ-03). Mental health issues are one of the main sources of morbidity in the Union, at a very high cost, also to social protection systems and the economy. Population mental health has been significantly affected by the pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, especially vulnerable groups, including refugees and displaced people from Ukraine.
The activities shall address vulnerable and socio-economically disadvantaged population groups whose mental health has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including the elderly, young people, people with less secure employment, and people with less education or a lower income and particularly migrants, refugees, Roma people, displaced people from Ukraine as well as people still living in Ukraine. Activities will also take into consideration socio-economic and environmental determinants as established risk factors for mental health and behavioural problems (e.g. poverty, unemployment, financial instability, a low educational level, violence, air pollution and climate crisis, homelessness, and social isolation).
This action shall support and complement the Member State’s efforts in addressing mental health challenges and in implementing a comprehensive approach to mental health, by doing at least one of the following activities:
– Identification, collection, and sharing and adjustment and replication of best and promising practices on a comprehensive approach to mental health for vulnerable populations, and their roll-out for implementation through population-level health promotion interventions
– Development of public health guidelines or documents intended for use by specific professional groups working with vulnerable groups with a potential need to address mental health challenges (e.g. first aid providers, social care workers)
– Identification, piloting and evaluation of innovative approaches to preventing and managing mental health problems in various community settings e.g. use of social prescribing (arts, sports etc.) and use of a community-based social franchising approach
– Development of guidelines and recommendations for actions, policies and programmes at national level catering to the specific needs of vulnerable populations e.g. suicide prevention programmes and programmes supporting the transition from youth to adult care
– Development of a code of good practice on how the people with ‘lived experience’ can be integrated in the development of mental health policies and programmes
– Development and implementation of awareness-raising activities with a focus on breaking down stigma on mental health (such as prevention of suicide and depression) with a focus on vulnerable groups
– Development, piloting and possible implementation of a methodology to ensure that mental health is integrated in relevant policies (Mental Health in All Policies approach)
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
– Minimum 3 entities from 3 different eligible countries
– At least one NGO working in the field of mental health
– At least one patient organisation working in the field of mental health
The deadline for submission is the 17th of October 2023. For more information, please visit the Commission’s website.
Second proposal
The second proposal is titled ”Call for proposals on prevention of NCDs in the area of dementia and other neurological disorders” (EU4H-2023-PJ-04). Neurological disorders (including dementia) are among the main sources of morbidity in the Union. As the prevalence of the major disabling neurological disorders steeply increases with age, there will be an increasing demand for treatment, rehabilitation and support services for neurological disorders in the coming years in all countries with ageing populations.
This action shall support and complement the Member States’ efforts by doing at least one of the following activities:
– Mapping to define needs assessment and subsequent gap analysis in the prevention of dementia and other neurological disorders, such as cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and headache disorders
– Identification, collection, sharing, adjustment, and replication of best and promising practices on preventing and managing dementia and other neurological disorders and their risk factors (e.g. smoking, poor diet, low levels of physical activity), as well as their roll-out for implementation through population-level health promotion interventions
– Identification, piloting and evaluation of innovative approaches on preventing and managing dementia and other neurological disorders
– Development of public health guidelines or recommendations on improved monitoring and screening for dementia and other neurological disorders such as stroke, through the community and/or primary care
– Development of guidelines and recommendations to better manage dementia and neurological disorders through the implementation of personcentred integrated care models
– Development of guidelines and recommendations for actions, policies and programmes at national level in addressing dementia and other neurological disorders
– Development and implementation of complementary awareness-raising activities on dementia and other neurological disorders and their risk factors, with a focus on vulnerable populations, such as displaced people from Ukraine
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 applicants from 3 different eligible countries.
The deadline for submission is the 17th of October 2023. For more information, please visit the Commission’s website.
To learn more about current calls for proposals or Eurodiaconia’s funding events, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Projects and EU Funding Officer Giorgia Signoretto at giorgia.signoretto@eurodiaconia.org.