Towards a holistic approach to children's rights in Lithuanian mental health policy: A case study

Abstract

A holistic approach to children's right to health requires that a disorder-oriented approach and a health promoting perspective are considered equal priorities. However, the mental health policy in many countries is still oriented towards the biomedical treatment of disorders rather than preventive and promotional measures. In this paper we argue that a successful implementation of a health-promoting approach can be achieved through sustainable investment in sectoral cooperation, capacity-building and political will. Using the example of Lithuanian mental health policy, we show how the shortcomings affecting each determinant impede progress in prioritizing a health promotion perspective and thus a holistic approach to children's right to health. Our findings suggest that the application of a holistic approach in Lithuania might face many challenges and obstacles, such as a high number of vulnerable children, the quality of child and family support services, and the still minimal and fragmented interest of policy makers in improving children's mental health.