Our Mission

Origins

In Groningen, a northern province in the Netherlands, several factors negatively affect general health, mental health, and socio-economic conditions. Higher rates of child poverty, unemployment, and energy-poor households have significantly impacted mental health compared to other regions in the Netherlands. Additionally, earthquakes caused by gas extraction have damaged homes, leading to anxiety, insecurity, and stress (e.g. over compensation for repairs or rebuilding damages houses).

The high prevalence of mental disorders in the region prompted a collaborative effort among stakeholders to address the mental health problems in this area. This multi-sector collaboration includes (youth) mental health care providers, educational institutions, public sector entities, social welfare organizations, and organizations for client representatives and relatives from mental health care.

Target Population

The Groningen Mental Health Program adopts a lifespan perspective, recognizing that underlying risk factors often emerge during childhood. Personality traits and life skills are more adaptable during childhood and adolescence than in adulthood. Therefore, our initial focus since 2022 has been on youth and young people.

Our Aim

We aim to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders by 10% within ten years (by 2032). Investing in today’s youth and young people (up to age 30) will build a mentally healthy future generation. Preventing mental health problems requires a comprehensive, long-term, society-wide approach. Despite numerous initiatives, fragmentation and lack of coordination have limited their impact in Northern Netherlands.

Our Activities

We connect and invest in prevention initiatives and networks, acquiring knowledge about risk and protective factors for mental health problems. We monitor these initiatives using unique data sources like Lifelines and TRAILS, regional and national registries, continually gaining insights into effective large-scale, long-term strategies. Our primary focus is the well-being of Groningen’s citizens.

Key Components of the Groningen Mental Health Program

• Connects separate initiatives, facilitating collaboration and coordination to strengthen impact and learning.
• Serves as a pivotal link for partners to collaborate closely and effectuate tangible change.
• Brings together contributors to improve mental health in Groningen.
• Advises municipalities on mental health prevention policies.

2. Large-Scale Implementation of a comprehensive and integrated package of Preventive Interventions

• Targets mental disorders across healthcare, social care, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
• Currently implements ten different interventions, including universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies focusing on various aspects such as pregnancy & early parenthood, children of parents with mental illness or substance use, depression and suicide prevention in schools, mental health in vocational education, university students, accessible meeting areas for youth, mental health promotion in municipal policies, mental health in e-communities, starting employees, and at the general practitioners.

3. Systematic Evaluation and Monitoring

• Evaluates and monitors the impact of implemented preventive interventions over time using regional and national registries and local cohort studies like Lifelines and TRAILS, to gain new insights into what works effectively.
• Aims to understand the effectiveness of integrated prevention programs in reducing disease burden. Although studies have shown beneficial effects of single preventive interventions, it is not known whether larger, integrated prevention programs actually reduce disease burden when implemented and maintained over time.

Our Approach

The Groningen Mental Health Program is based on the Collective Impact Initiatives (John Kania & Mark Kramer, 2011). Addressing large-scale social issues requires broad cross-sector coordination and commitment from key actors to a common agenda. We identify ongoing local and global initiatives and accordingly prioritize goals, target groups, and initiatives based on local needs, explore funding options for sustainable implementation, and systematically evaluate and monitor outcomes of the Groningen Mental Health Program.

Email

mentaalgezondgroningen@umcg.nl