10 organisations, including the European Disability Forum, applaud the adoption of the ‘Recommendation on respect of autonomy in mental health care’ by the Council of Europe on 17 June.
Our joint statement welcomes that the recommendation places autonomy, informed consent, and respect for individual will and preferences at the centre of mental health care. Organisations especially lauded that the Recommendation “signals a clear move away from paternalistic and coercive practices”.
Signatories further call on the Council of Europe Member States to fully implement this Recommendation, including through:
- Legislative reforms, policy initiatives and investments in community-based services;
- Meaningful involvement of persons with lived experience in the design, delivery, and evaluation of mental health policies.
Gunta Anca, President of the European Disability Forum, said:
We welcome this step from the Council of Europe to align itself with human rights standards. Autonomy, informed consent, and respect for the individual are the bare minimum to respect persons with disabilities, and key to ensure a successful experience in health care.
Karilė Levickaitė, Mental Health Europe President, stated:
This Recommendation marks a profound turning point, placing human dignity and self-determination at the heart of mental healthcare across Europe. By decisively moving the Council of Europe away from an era of institutional coercion toward a deep respect for autonomy, this historic milestone offers a unique opportunity to fundamentally reshape mental healthcare and advance the true implementation of the UN CRPD.
Meanwhile, the organisations continue to call on the Council of Europe to drop the draft Additional Protocol to the Oviedo Convention that would reinforced forced treatment and placement in mental health care settings.