Emmanuel Macron will visit the child psychiatry department of the University Hospital of Reims on Wednesday April 14, announced the Elysee, to discuss the psychological impact of the Covid-19 crisis and confinement on children and adolescents.
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In mid-January, the head of state spoke with child psychiatrists who alerted him to the deterioration in the mental health of children and adolescents since the start of the epidemic.
He then requested the holding of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Assizes, which will take place this summer.
The use of psychiatric emergencies increased by 40% in 2020 and 40% of parents declared having observed signs of distress in their child during the first confinement, in particular due to the constraint of confinement and the absence of social relations. linked to the closure of schools, underlines the presidency.
A sign of the importance given to this aspect of the crisis, the Head of State brought Angèle Consoli, a child psychiatrist at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, into the Scientific Council in February.
During his visit, Emmanuel Macron will discuss with families, children and adolescents as well as professionals, accompanied by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran and the Secretary of State in charge of children Adrien Taquet.
Foundations of psychiatry and mental health
The government will also start a consultation with patients and their families, caregivers and the general population with a view to the holding of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Conference, scheduled for June-July, Frank Bellivier said on Tuesday. , ministerial delegate for mental health and psychiatry, before the Association of Social Information Journalists (Ajis) These meetings will be structured around three main areas, prevention, the provision of care and vulnerable groups, including young people in particular.
Read also: Emmanuel Macron wants the Assises of psychiatry, especially for children
In early December, four renowned psychiatrists and a psychoanalyst called on the government to "
take action
" so that all French people who need it can access psychiatric care.
According to surveys carried out by Public Health France over the past year, the proportion of French people reporting anxiety or depression has increased sharply since the first confinement and has remained at a high level since, affecting nearly a third (31%) of the population. population.
The government launched a general public campaign at the beginning of April to encourage the French to "
talk
" about their psychological state and to remind people of the existence of assistance by telephone and internet, which is too little known.
The head of state has also decided to grant "
psy checks
" to students, particularly affected by the epidemic.