RAN HEALTH Conclusions Ethics for mental health professionals working in P/CVE, online meeting 16-17 June 2020

On 16 and 17 June, mental health professionals working in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) discussed the ethical challenges they are confronted with in their daily practice.

They are worried about their inability to genuinely assure patients of confidentiality, their complicity in the perpetuation of stigma, and conflicts between their core ethos and their public safety duties. Each EU Member State has its specific legal and cultural contexts that shape these ethical considerations.

As a result, there are many conceptual definitions of radicalisation and mental health. Practitioners from the mental health profession demonstrated through different case studies how ethical dilemmas are best dealt with.

This conclusion paper is a result of this meeting and shares practical insights on:

• conceptual issues and agreements in the field of P/CVE and mental health,
• legislation and ethics,
• key lessons and tips for first-line practitioners for ethical decision-making.