On Tuesday 25th March, the Symposium on Child and Adolescent Mental Health was hosted at at the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu in Spain (Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona), bringing together leading experts to discuss innovative approaches to promoting mental well-being among young people. The event was facilitated by Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Xarxa Tecsam, and SMHILE and featured insightful presentations from Dr. Josep Maria Haro and Dr. Rodrigo Lima on mental health promotion in schools, highlighting the IMPROVA and ePro-Schools projects
Key speakers included Iris Mauricio Arribas, who introduced Xarxa TECSAM, an innovation and research network in mental health, and Guillermo Santamaría Pampliega, who provided an overview of the Social Observatory of the “la Caixa” Foundation and its research initiatives. Pau Gomes presented the Nous Cims Foundation’s work in emotional well-being through the Komtü and KOA programs.
The symposium also explored projects such as SOMRISE, an initiative led by Dr. Josep Maria Haro at Sant Joan de Déu, aimed at transforming mental health through research and innovation. Dr. Mark Weist from the University of South Carolina (USC), discussed the expansion of SMHILE, a global initiative advancing school mental health research and policy, while Dr. David Stodden (also from USC) provided a developmental perspective on integrating multiple domains to promote holistic health.
With around 70 attendees in person and 50 online, the event fostered meaningful discussions on improving child and adolescent mental health. A networking session followed, reinforcing the symposium’s goal of strengthening international collaboration in mental health research.
