ESMHD Special Interest Group 2009 on Deafness and Mental Health

The Special Interest Group (SIG) is a scientific event of great importance in the context of Deafness, and Mental Health. In 2009, RWF and ESMHD collaborated in organizing this event for the first time in Italy and was held on the 15th-19th of April. .

The ESMHD (European Society for Mental Health and Deafness) is an international organization that aims to promote the mental health (as a state of emotional, psychological and social well-being) of deaf people in Europe. The society is interested, first of all, in supporting those whom the onset of deafness was prior to the acquisition of language and use as a first language, or use sign language as their preferred language. ESMHD is also interested in the mental health of all deaf people, whatever the age of onset or degree of deafness. The society is composed of a council which represents a major part of European nations. The members of council have the responsibility for distributing information in their countries of origin.

The SIG aims to support ESMHD in carrying out their objective of distributing information about mental health to deaf people through meetings, seminars, workshops and international meetings. SIG meeting brings together professionals and specialists worldwide who work in the field of Deafness and Mental Health.

Participants in the SIG meeting present research, discuss about mental health services for deaf people in their own countries, analyze case studies, share expertise, information, practices and intervention. A network of professionals such as this creates a common groundwork and sets new goals for the future in order to improve the lives of deaf people and their families.

The SIG was held in 2009 at the Hotel Melia Aurelia Antica in Rome. It was attended by about 100 professionals, working in the field of deafness and mental health from different countries around the world. The work groups and discussion were as follows:

• Adults and families and medical issues - for professionals in the medical, psychological and social work fields who work with deaf adults. President: Dr.Ines Sleeboom van Raaij, President of ESMHD and Psychiatrist at V.I.A., National Centre Mental Health and Auditive Disorders - Netherlands.

• Deaf Children and families - for professionals in the medical, psychological and social work fields who work with deaf children and their families. President: Dr. Kerstin Heiling, Psychology at Lund University Hospital - Outpatient Unit for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Sweden.

• Public health - for professionals in the medical, psychological and social work fields who work in public health services, prevention and treatment. President: Dr. Jan Tempelaar, director of De Gelderhorst (nursing home for elderly deaf) - Netherlands.

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