Crete: Training General Practitioners in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
On June 14–15, 2025, we successfully held an intensive two-day training program in Heraklion, Crete, for general practitioners and family doctors. The training focused on the early identification and management of mental health challenges in children and adolescents, highlighting the crucial role of primary care professionals as the first point of contact for young people and their families. Participants from Crete and other regions of Greece were trained in using screening tools, protocols, and communication skills essential for recognizing and managing mental health issues within Primary Health Care settings.
Esteemed Speakers and Meaningful Dialogue
The training opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Anastasia Koumoula, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Director of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative; Dr. Giovanni Abrahão Salum (Child Mind Institute); Professor Maria Basta, and General Practitioner Dr. Athina Karpouzi. The training team included distinguished experts in child psychiatry and psychology, all members of CAMHI: N. Zilikis, V. Dafoulis, E. Kapsimalli, G. Gerostergios, D. Kioteoglou, and Th. Touma.
Hands-On, Multidimensional Learning
Throughout the two days, participants explored key topics, including:
- Anxiety, depression, and eating disorders
- Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, autism spectrum disorders)
- Behavioral disorders and substance use
- Trauma, self-harm, suicidality, abuse, and neglect
The training combined theoretical foundations with hands-on approaches, based on international best practices and tools developed by CAMHI.
Closing with Insight and Personal Reflections
The training concluded with a positive evaluation from participants and a productive discussion on practical implementation challenges. Dr. Athina Karpouzi, Vice President of the Hellenic Association of General/Family Medicine “Hippocrates”, shared the following reflection:
“Is irritability, discomfort, and emotional instability part of the normal adolescent search for self? When does experimentation with alcohol and substances become a disorder? When do these signs indicate a mood disorder? Which adolescents are more vulnerable to drifting toward the pathological end of the mental health spectrum? These and many more questions about early detection and interdisciplinary collaboration in child and adolescent mental health were explored during an unforgettable educational journey—with many meaningful stops and one precious destination: awareness, education, and the dismantling of stigma.”
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative, in collaboration with the Child Mind Instituteand with exclusive support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), as part of SNF’s Global Health Initiative (GHI), continues to invest in strengthening the public care system—focusing on prevention, early intervention, and equitable access to quality mental health care for all children and adolescents in Greece.
Learn more about our training programs for health professionals here.