Prevention, care pathways, young people… 20 measures “in favor of mental health” proposed by a collective of caregivers, helpers and patients

A collective of caregivers, helpers, patients and elected officials proposed 20 measures “in favor of mental health” on Thursday, October 15, in a white paper that France Inter was able to consult. In this work published with the support of Psychodon, the collective calls for "a Marshall plan" including a budget of "3 billion euros [annual] over 5 years to trigger a rebalancing", affecting several axes. This concerns in particular prevention to “detect as early as possible” disorders, but also to “put the suffering person at the center of decisions”. The authors of this white paper also call for an emphasis on "ambulatory care", in order to "provide care in the city rather than in the hospital".

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Mental health was declared a major national cause by the government in 2025, extended to 2026. There are therefore great expectations for many patients, caregivers and caregivers. Especially since this directly concerns 12 million French people: one in 6 people lives with depression, schizophrenia, anxiety or bipolar disorders. But almost two years later, no concrete measures have been announced, no means have been identified, regrets Didier Meillerand, founder of Psychodon, who initiated the white paper.

The idea of a High Commissioner for Mental Health put on the table

In 10 years, moreover, no less than ten Ministers of Health have succeeded one another. This is “too much” for Didier Meillerand, “we need a stable authority”. He proposes "a High Commissioner for Mental Health for five years. The ministers move on, he stays. And every October 10, World Mental Health Day, the High Commissioner for Mental Health must come and report to the French on the progress of these 20 measures." Regarding prevention, the founder of the Psychodon collective believes that we must “reach out to people and their families in high schools, in schools, in businesses, in nursing homes, before they become ill”.

The total cost of this Marshall mental health plan would be 15 billion euros over five years. A considerable sum in a context of budgetary restrictions, but the collective invites us to think about the overall cost of mental health in society. “It is the leading cause of sick leave. It is the leading cause of social and healthcare expenditure, ahead of cancer. There is already so much money spent,” criticizes Didier Meillerand. “We are mainly asking that this money be spent differently.”

Nearly 68% of caregivers are women “exposed to a risk of burnout”

The collective asks the State in particular to “fully reimburse the sessions with the psychologist”. The collective still recognizes the progress that is “MonParcoursPsy” [now MonSoutienPsy], but “the number of sessions offered (12 per year now) is insufficient” according to him.

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For carers, who are "68% women", and often "exposed to a risk of exhaustion and loss of income", the white paper proposes a "carer's salary of 600 euros per month" and a "right to respite of 20 days of vacation per year". The authors declare that they have sent the fruit of their work to the various candidates for the 2027 presidential election, calling on them to take this subject head on.