Promoting the Belfast Statement on Mental Health and Deafness

28 February 2024 – Brian Symington, Chair of Sense Northern Ireland (NI) and former Director of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (NI) was honoured to speak about the ‘Belfast Statement on Mental Health and Deafness’ at February’s ‘Joining Forces, New Perspectives’ international Congress in Haarlem, The Netherlands.

The Belfast Statement sets out the right to effective communication access in mental health settings for Deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened and Deafblind people of all ages. This right is enshrined in key international declarations such as the United Nations (UN) Convention on Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Statement was drawn up in close consultation with deaf people and it reflects their first-hand knowledge of the issues that they face in the mental health setting.

The presentation was delivered in a Plenary panel session that focused on the Statement. The panel included contribution from Professor Michael Schwartz, Director of Disability Rights Clinic, Syracuse University, United States, who oversaw the final draft of the statement, and spoke about why it’s important. Dr Stefania Fadda, Psychologist and Psychotherapist and President of the European Society on Mental Health and Deafness (ESMHD) spoke about the Future of the Belfast Statement Action Plan. Brian Symington shared a message of support for the Statement from Siobhan O’Neill, NI Mental Health Champion.

Pictured: Brian Symington stands with Professor Siobhan O’Neil.

On the Statement, Siobhan said: “It is absolutely vital that people who are Deaf, hard of hearing. late deafened and Deafblind have affective and timely mental healthcare and psychological support delivered in a context of compassion and respect. The Belfast Statement on Mental Health and Deafness sets out the features of the specialist services that are affective and acceptable to these communities. It is essential as we implement Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Strategy that we make the vision a reality.”

Accessible versions of the statement

A feature of the Haarlem Congress was the video translation of the Statement into International Sign Language, making it accessible to the Deaf delegates attending the Congress. This videos, funded by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, includes subtitles and voice over in English.

Video versions of the Statement are now accessible in British Sign Language (BSL), Irish Sign Language (ISL), and American Sign Language (ASL), in addition to the International Sign Language version.

Each version begins with introductory remarks, summarising the Statement and includes individual and organisational endorsements. It is then followed by the content of the Statement in full.

Background to the Statement:

The Statement is an outcome of the 6th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness which was hosted in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2014. The World Congress was organised by the European Society on Mental Health and Deafness (ESMHD), the Royal College of Psychiatrists (NI) and Queen’s University, Belfast. The theme of the Congress was Pathways to Rights,

The Statement has an impressive list of organisational endorsements, including the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), ESMHD, the British Deaf Association (BDA), Sense / Sense International and the NI Human Rights Commission.

Dr Liisa Kauppinnen, Hon President of the WFD and 2013 United Nations (UN) Awardee, presented the first draft of the Statement at the 6th World Congress. In her view, the Statement contains what is the basis of Deaf Identity: the need to respect Sign Language and Deaf Culture from the beginning. She added that it is the responsibility of Governments to promote access to services in sign languages and they should be reminded of their duties regularly.

The Belfast Statement on Mental Health and Deafness in full:

Affirming the right of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind individuals, including adults and children, as per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to:

• Equality and non-discrimination;
• Accessibility;
• Equal recognition before the law;
• Access to justice;
• Liberty and security of the person;
• Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
• Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse;
• Integrity of the person;
• Liberty of movement;
• Independent living and inclusion in community life;
• Personal mobility;
• Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information;
• Respect for privacy;

Affirming the right of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind individuals, including adults and children, to meaningful, effective and equal access to:

• Education;
• Health;
• Habilitation & rehabilitation;
• Work and employment;
• Adequate standard of living and social protection;
• Participation in political and public life;
• Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure & sport;

Recalling and Reaffirming:

• The Worcester, South Africa Declaration of the 2005 World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness;
• The Bad Ischl, Austria Declaration of the 2003 European Society for Mental Health and Deafness; and,
• The Universal Declaration on Linguistic Rights, UNESCO World Conference on Linguistic Rights, Barcelona, Spain, 9 June 1996;

Recalling and Reaffirming:

• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, particularly General Principles (Article 3) & General Obligations (Article 4); and,
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of The Child; The 6th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness proclaims that Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people, including adults and children, have a right to:
• Dignity, respect and compassion for the linguistic identity of  Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late  Deafened and Deafblind people;
• Effective and timely health care, including equal and  effective access to mental  health services, that accounts  for Deaf culture and linguistic identity;
• Equality under national legislation between people with mental health needs and people with physical health needs when it comes to consent and the refusal of consent to interventions;
• Periodic review of treatment;
• Early assessment and treatment;

The 6th World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness thereby calls on governments, non-government organisations, mental health care providers and other interested stakeholders to:

• Prioritise and promote the right of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people to recognition of their linguistic and cultural identity  as early as possible to preserve  and protect their mental health;
• Prioritise and promote the accessibility of mental health services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people;
• Prioritise and promote the right to effective communication access in the mental health care setting from an early age;
• Develop evidence-based standards in mental health care practice and early intervention for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people;
• Develop demonstration projects in the provision of mental health care services planned and directed by Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened, and Deafblind people;
• Encourage the sharing of best practices in mental health care services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people;
• Repeal laws that discriminate against people with mental health needs by allowing only people with physical health needs to refuse treatment; and
• Promote the development of specialist mental health care services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and accessible for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened and Deafblind people