The Mental Health Conference (I Jornadas de Salud Mental) held in Mérida 4th June, 2025, brought together over 150 healthcare professionals (doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, occupational therapists) from across the region with the goal of promoting mental health awareness, sharing innovative practices, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in mental health care. 

FUNDESALUD organised the event with the aim to facilitate knowledge sharing and enhancing collaboration. The event provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, building networks, and reinforcing a shared commitment to improve mental health care delivery in Mérida and its region.

The event focused on:

• Raising awareness around mental health issues; 
• Highlighting innovative approaches and evidence-based practices in mental health services;
• Encouraging collaboration among mental health professionals, institutions, and policymakers. 

The event provided an ideal forum to present JADE Health’s mission, objectives, and planned activities, since these had been aligned with the goals of the conference to emphasise the role of digital innovation in mental care, and showcased the importance of cross-border collaboration, and knowledge sharing in service improvement.
The introduction of our project by FUNDESALUD, coordinator of the consortium, is a great example how the visibility of a European initiatives can be increased among health care professionals, to promote change, new perspectives and awareness raising in local professional communities. 

Health experts attending the event could listen to plenary presentations, participated in various sessions, panel discussions, and had the opportunity to take part in poster exhibitions. The conference covered topics such as community-based mental health strategies, youth mental health, and early intervention, as well as addressed issues of mental health policy and service innovation.