Action required to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and service delivery systems in the WHO European Region: recommendations from the European Technical Advisory Group on the mental health impacts of COVID-19, 30 June 2021

Overview

These recommendations from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on the Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region represent the work of the TAG between February and June 2021. At its second meeting on 23 March 2021, the TAG agreed to frame the recommendations across three key areas of impact:

• general population and communities;
• vulnerable groups; and
• public mental health services.

Draft recommendations for each thematic area underwent two rounds of discussion at the third and fourth TAG meetings, held respectively on 23 April and 28 May 2021. The recommendations are endorsed by the TAG as representing the best available evidence and expert advice on the mental health impacts of COVID-19 and associated opportunities for action.