IX Meeting of the National Forum on Children and Youths Mental Health takes place in Brasilia on November 12 and 13

13 November 2012 - The IX Meeting of the National Forum on Children and Youths Mental Health had the participation of representatives from civil society, including adolescents and youths groups, health professionals, specially professionals from the Psychosocial Care Centers (including the ones on alcohol and drug use), mental health managers at municipal and state levels, legal practitioners, academic members, and activists working with children and adolescents' rights.

UNODC supported the Ministry of Health in the organization of the IX Meeting, the Officer-in-Charge of the Regional Office for Brazil and Southern Cone Countries, Jose Manuel Martinez Morales, participated of the opening ceremony. Among the issues discussed during the IX Meeting, the alcohol and other drugs abuse among children and adolescents were highlighted. The strong demand for an effective approach and for scaling up of the attention to the use of psychoactive substances among children and adolescents was in evidence.

During the opening ceremony, the Coordinator of the Mental Health Programme of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Roberto Tykanori, stressed the relevant ongoing partnership with UNODC, specially with regards to the international UNODC approach "from coercion to cohesion" that can provide important contributions to the development of a national response to the problem.

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