The financial crisis and the future of mental health in Greece

Abstract

The recent financial crisis in Greece has affected the mental health of the population as well as mental health service provision and planning. These new adverse circumstances call for the profession's swift response. In this paper we make evidence-based suggestions for urgent, as well as longer-term, mental health reform. We consider psychiatric prevention and mental health promotion to be the central principles to abide by in the long term. We also offer suggestions for important current issues, including the devolution and coordination of decision-making, the further development of community psychiatry and the implementation of sectorisation, support for service user involvement, the reform of psychiatric education and the creative integration of mental health service provision with Greek culture. We conclude that enhanced participation of the profession in decision-making and service planning can result in cost-effective, evidence-based reform.