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1. National strategy(ies)

2. Improving the mental health of young people

National strategy(ies)

The Health Ministry published a National Mental Health Plan (Plan National Santé Mentale Luxembourg, PNSM) in 2023. It defines the future strategic direction for the mental health system and mental health care in Luxembourg for the period 2024-2028. Based on the concepts of recovery, empowerment and social inclusion, the National Mental Health Plan presents six areas of action, for which operational objectives have been defined. These areas are:

• Governance of the National Mental Health Plan and the mental health care system
• Information system and research
• Human resources and staff qualifications
• Health promotion and primary and secondary prevention
• Supply of and access to mental health care
• Particularly vulnerable populations

For young people, this plan includes implementing specific health promotion and prevention measures, expanding mental health care provision and simplifying access to the mental health care system.

Furthermore, the National Action Plan for Youth 2022-2025 defines three intervention axes for improving the well-being of young people (see: 1.3 National youth strategy). These axes are further translated into objectives, including the provision of ongoing training on well-being, mental health, mental health first aid, stress management and emotional balance at school, the creation of a network of ambassadors for mental health as well as the implementation of a documentation centre. 

Improving the mental health of young people

In the field of suicide prevention, the national plan for the prevention of suicide for Luxembourg 2015-2019 (Plan national de prévention du suicide pour le Luxembourg 2015-2019) forms the national strategy. It addresses the entire population in their different life periods (children, adolescents, adults, elderly people, etc.) and life environments (private or professional).

The national plan was drafted and published by the Ministry of Health and the Centre of Information and Prevention. The drafting of the plan was supervised by an interministerial working group and different thematic working groups.

The national plan defines six priority fields of action:

1. Improving the understanding of suicidal problems in Luxembourg
2. Improving individuals' resilience and their ability to self-help
3. Improving social resources, collective resilience and the ability to prevent suicide
4. Adopting a coordinated approach to suicide prevention
5. Providing targeted suicide prevention activities
6. Establish quality standards and standards for suicide prevention.

The scheme identifies five objectives, which are to strengthen:

1. Individuals, families, and the community
2. Individual and collective resilience following traumatic events
3. The community's ability to identify needs for care
4. The collective and individual ability to respond promptly and appropriately to the distress of persons
5. The coordination between field actors, in order to create a smooth and safe transition for the suffering person.

The website www.prevention-suicide.lu, run by the Centre of Intervention and Prevention, provides information to suicidal persons, their social environment, and professionals. The website www.prevention-psy.lu, run by the Luxembourgish Mental Health Organisation (Ligue Luxembourgeoise d'Hygiène Mentale) in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, is a platform for all help, information and training services on mental health.  

The 2020-2024 national action plan on drugs and drugs addiction (Stratégie nationale en matière d’addictions et plan d’action gouvernemental 2020–2024 en matière de drogues d’acquisition illicite et de leurs corollaires) is an important strategic document which aims at preventing health risks and improving young people's mental health (see: National strateg(y)ies).
The interministerial initiative BEE SECURE is in charge of raising awareness about the risks posed by new media. BEE SECURE is an important offer that aims at preventing abuse of new media, thereby also improving young people's mental health (see: 6.8 Media literacy and safe use of new media).
In 2021, the Ministry of Equal Opportunities has launched "25 Joer MEGA" featuring specific campaigns to raise awareness of gender equality issues of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 years. The campaigns include several competitions focused on different media, images, texts, videos or music.
The Youth Centre Marienthal operated by the National Youth Service offers activities addressing the well-being of young people. Its activities include primary prevention activities (such as team-building courses) and freestyle activities for interested groups (e.g. school classes).