JA MENTOR project at the WHO High-Level Conference on Mental Health in All Policies
Last week, members of the WP5 team working on Task 5.4, led by Maria Luisa Scatoni, showcased a poster detailing their activities within the JA MENTOR project at the WHO High-Level Conference on Mental Health in All Policies. The conference, co-hosted by WHO/Europe and the Ministry of Health of France, took place in Paris on 16–17 June 2025.
Below we present the content of the poster prepared by the team working on the task.
The poster, which focused on the Integrated Care Pathway for individuals with mental health conditions, garnered significant interest and attention from attendees.
The Personal Health Budget (PHB)
The PHB is an innovative methodology in which health and social services work together to provide integrated interventions in the following four areas:
- Health,
- Housing,
- Job placement,
- Affectivity/sociality/life and relational skills.
Each person is accompanied through a tailored individual project, designed according to their specific needs and preferences, using available public, personal, and private resources. The individual’s personal empowerment is ensured by their full involvement and consent at every stage of the negotiation and decision-making process (Micai et al., 2022).
Italy’s Progress in PHB Implementation
Italy has made a significant step forward in implementing the PHB by launching key initiatives that actively involve people with lived experiences.
The Italian National Institute of Health and the Ministry of Health have developed:
- National Strategic Guidelines: Co-Designing the Health Budget with the Person,
- Training programs for social and healthcare professionals, regional stakeholders, and administrative personnel.
A multicentre pilot study has also evaluated the implementation of the model defined within the Guidelines, focusing on clinical outcomes and user satisfaction.
Pilot Initiative Details
The Italian pilot initiative implementing the PHB model, which involved 10 Regions and 519 participants, was organized around key intervention domains:
- Training and employment,
- Housing,
- Learning and communication,
- Social and emotional life.
Key elements of the PHB implementation included:
- A multiprofessional equipe,
- A multidimensional assessment,
- Tailored interventions customized to each individual’s unique needs and preferences,
- A dedicated case manager.
Impact and European Implications
The positive clinical results and valuable experience gained in Italy are now informing broader efforts at the European level through the EU4Health Joint Action “Mental Health Together” (JA MENTOR).
This initiative seeks to:
- Develop and implement the Integrated Care Pathway across participating countries,
- Use the Italian model as a blueprint to: Promote equitable access, Foster personal recovery, Encourage social inclusion, Reduce mental health stigma.
Subtask 5.4 Objectives (Italian Coordination within JA MENTOR)
The Italian National Institute of Health coordinates Subtask 5.4, which focuses on:
- Survey dissemination and analysis for recognizing policies, services, and funding specifically dedicated to people with mental health conditions,
- Definition of the Integrated Care Pathway, its piloting, and monitoring,
- Definition and dissemination of community-based mental health policies.
