The European Modular Mental Health Toolbox (MentBox) project officially began on September 1st, 2024, and will be inaugurated with the initial meeting to be held on September 16th and 17th in Seville.

MentBox is a project co-funded by the European Union (EU) that aims to close the gap between the best available practices in mental health and the capacity of EU Member States to implement them in vulnerable populations.

The specific objective of the project is to develop interventions that address the most pressing needs of the Romani population and then adapt and test them in collaboration with a stable gypsy community in the Polígono Sur neighborhood in Seville.

The gypsy population is the largest ethnic minority group in Europe and often faces discrimination and social exclusion. Social conflicts and lack of access to medical care are associated with increased symptoms of psychopathology. The literature indicates a relatively high prevalence of anxiety, depression and substance abuse among the Romani population, with women being even more affected than men. The gypsy population frequently reports negative experiences in their interaction with mental health services, including discrimination and lack of understanding from care providers.

The primary goal of the project is to identify and personalize the most promising mental health interventions targeting depression, suicide, and non-clinical mental distress. It will guide EU Member States in their implementation by providing a digital manual, Modular Mental Health Toolbox (MH-Toolbox), for use with vulnerable populations. The MH-Toolbox will incorporate evidence-based interventions developed or implemented and evaluated by the consortium in past and ongoing EU-funded projects. These include generic mental health interventions and those adapted for vulnerable groups.

All identified interventions will be optimized and adapted in each country through a qualitative co-creation process with the ministries of the EU Member States, health professionals and users.

This three-year project will be carried out by a consortium coordinated by the EUROPEAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEPRESSION, Germany, and the following European institutions: from Spain, the Global Collaborative Research Center for Mental Health Services at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the SERVICIO ANDALUZ DE SALUD (SAS) with the support of the Fundación para Gestión de la Investigación en Salud de Sevilla (FISEVI); from Slovenia, the Slovenian Suicide Research Center at the UNIVERZA NA PRIMORSKEM UNIVERSITA DEL LITORALE; and from Belgium, the GLOBAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS SUPPORT NETWORKS EUROPE.

MentBox is co-funded by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA).

For more information about this project, please contact the following address: proyectos.inves.hvr.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es