In its capacity as the Dutch National Institute for Public Health, RIVM carries out a wide range of tasks and activities. This includes essential public health functions such as population monitoring, surveillance and reporting; health promotion and disease prevention; public health research, evaluation and knowledge; workforce development; and emergency management. Mental health is an integral part of health, and so these functions also cover issues related to mental health and well-being, either as a dedicated topic or as part of broader health horizon scanning. 

RIVM often collaborates with other actors, notably research and development institutes with specialised knowledge of mental health, and local professionals or authorities. This fits well within the Dutch public health and health promotion landscape and with RIVM’s mission. The COVID-19 pandemic underlined the importance of mental health and well-being, also for overall health and resilience. In 2022, RIVM identified mental health as one of five priority issues within its work in public health and health services research, also striving to forge more European links in support of this. These web pages present more detailed information on RIVM’s very diverse work on mental health and well-being as they are delivered at regional, national and international level across its knowledge domains.