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Mental health agenda setting and advocacy
Start in October 2021
Partners: IEPS (Instituto de Estudos para Políticas de Saúde) and Eixo Estratégia


Since October 2021, we have been influencing the political agenda with regards to mental health, particularly targeting the 2022 presidential elections, through a project developed in partnership with IEPS (“Instituto de Estudos para Políticas de Saúde” – Research Institute for Healthcare Policy) and the advocacy advisory of Eixo Estratégia. This advocacy project aims at drawing more attention and bringing consistent action towards improving mental health, notably through Legislative & Executive Branch Advocacy.
After identifying the key stakeholders involved, as well as law mapping, we came up with an advocacy plan to move this agenda forward, inform the debate and influence the legislative and public policy proposals around mental health, including its related themes and the different authorities playing a role in the theme.
One of the main deliverables of the project is a Programmatic Agenda for the 2022 elections, outlining specific commitments with regards to mental health access and care, which will be based on a broad diagnosis of the country’s mental health situation to be undertaken considering the recommendations of mental health experts.
Outcomes:
- More quality information about mental health, influencing the public opinion around its importance to society, focusing on stigma reduction;
- Move the mental health agenda forward by sharing evidence-based information in accessible ways;
- Assessment, monitoring and evaluation of the legislative and executive branches with regards to mental health; and
- Enhanced engagement and coordination between public institutions and non-governmental organizations around the theme;
- In March 2022, the Brazilian Senate approved the Bill 3383/2021, which sets forth the National Policy for Psychosocial Care at Schools, or the “Mental Health at Schools’ Bill”, presented by Senator Alessandro Vieira (Cidadania – RS), in technical collaboration with Instituto Cactus and IEPS.
