The Harm Reduction Academy and the Progressive Analytical Center are organizing a discussion on the topic of mental health and addictions.
The event will take place on March 20th from 14:30 to 17:00 at Café Louvre. The expert discussion will be held under the patronage of MUDr. Bc. Tomáš Fiala, MBA, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.
Modern society faces complex challenges related to substance addictions, ranging from traditional forms to new types of digital addictions. These issues not only affect individuals’ mental health but also have direct impacts on their physical health, especially the cardiovascular system. It is therefore crucial to seek solutions based on prevention and supporting societal resilience. The concept of societal resilience is currently actively promoted by the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. New opportunities for building resilience in society within public health policies are also presented by the broader inclusion of the harm reduction approach, as emphasized by The Lancet Global Health.
A resilient society can not only overcome crises but also actively support its most vulnerable members, from those suffering from addictions to those facing mental disorders or chronic illnesses. The key to this resilience is linking approaches focused on harm reduction, prevention of cardiovascular risks, and strengthening individuals’ psychological resilience. The aim is to create a framework of policies and interventions that will integrate scientific knowledge about addictions with an emphasis on their health and social impacts. This comprehensive approach, which the Czech Republic has long supported, includes harm reduction strategies, an evidence-based rational approach to addictions, and addiction prevention and treatment.
Agenda
The roundtable will be moderated by Tomáš Petříček, M.A., Ph.D., Director of the Progressive Analytical Center and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
14:30 – 15:00 Registration, coffee and refreshments
15:00 – 15.30 Opening remarks and keynote speech
Tomáš Petříček, M.A., Ph.D., Director of the Progressive Analytical Center and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
PhDr. Ladislav Csémy, President, Harm Reduction Academy, psychologist working in the addiction research program at the National Institute of Mental Health
15:30 – 16:30 Speakers’ contributions and panel discussion
Radek Soběhart, Ph.D., Director of Research, Anglo-American University in Prague
Mikuláš Peksa, Ph.D., Former Member of the European Parliament, member of the Regulatory Board of the Harm Reduction Academy
Dr. Kamila Zvolská, Ph.D., Physician, Centre for Tobacco Addicts of the 3rd Internal Clinic of the 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague
Dr. Fabian Steinmetz, Toxicologist of the European Kratom Alliance, expert of the European Union Agency for Drugs on new psychoactive substances, member of the Scientific Board of the Harm Reduction Academy
Jakub Popík, E.MA., Human Rights Officer and Drug Policy Expert, Researcher at Institute of Sociology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, member of the Scientific Board of the Harm Reduction Academy
16:30 – 16:45 Discussion and closing remarks