To implement regional community-based four-level programmes with the aim of improving the care of depressed patients and to reduce suicidality in different European countries.

The interventions took place on four different levels complementary to each other: (1) educating general practitioners in recognizing and treating depression, (2) raising public awareness for depression (3) training community facilitators (such as priests, social workers, or teachers) about depression, and (4) offering support to high risk groups. In two project phases 17 EAAD partners a) established first a local Alliance Against Depression with the described 4-level approach and then b) started to extend the activities to other regions in the respective countries.

The EAAD strategy and actions largely base on the results and experiences from the “Nuremberg Alliance Against Depression” that showed a significant reduction (−24%) of suicidal acts. Evaluation within EAAD showed that EAAD material can be readily adapted to different cultures. The strong bottom-up approach helps community members to identify with the local alliance against depression and this boosts motivation and civil commitment as well as self-help. EAAD intervention is also well accepted by the partners as well as the public which can be shown in positive echoes from the media and in ongoing requests for being supported by EAAD in implementing their own local alliance against depression.

EAAD's 4-level approach reduces suicidal acts and can be implemented across a range of different countries (with different health care systems) with and within different local contexts.