On behalf of Karakter an organisation specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry in the Netherlands, we invite you to join us for a meeting on 1st October in Brussels to discuss cross-border healthcare challenges specific to mental health. Join us to learn about the legal and administrative obstacles we face in relation to Dutch youths living across the border in Germany who are seeking care but fall in the cracks of the law and we are not in a position to treat them, although Karakter’s services meet their health needs. This case demonstrates how differences in Member States laws can create gaps that jeopardise the wellbeing of children and their families.
Under the new BRIDGEforEU framework and with the support of the b-solutions initiative of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), this event will bring together senior officials from health, insurance, education and national and regional government as well as EU level decision-makers to exchange ideas and shape practical solutions for the Dutch–German cross-border region that could help not just our cause but other stakeholders in similar situations across other border-regions in the EU.
Your contribution to the discussion would be much appreciated. Please hold the following date for a half-day meeting:
Bridging the Gap for Mental Health Care in Cross-Border Regions
Focus: Challenges of young people with specific health needs on the Dutch–German border region who fall in the cracks of the law
Date: Wednesday 1 October 2025
Time: 12:00 – 16:30 CEST (light lunch followed by plenary discussions)
Venue: European Patients' Forum, Rue des Deux Églises 14, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
.More information: international@karakter.com.