From 2025, in Ukraine, mental health support services will become available to all citizens on the basis of primary medical care. About this reported Ministry of Health.
“Help for mental disorders is integrated into the basic package of medical services provided by family doctors, therapists and pediatricians. This means that from January 1, 2025, free mental health care services will be provided by all “primary” health facilities (regardless of ownership) that contracted by the National Health Service for the provision of primary medical care”. – is emphasized in the message.
All primary care workers, including doctors and nurses, should be trained in the WHO mhGAP program, which provides basic knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the main advantage of these changes is accessibility. Citizens will be able to turn to their family doctors or therapists with mental health problems without the need to find specialized institutions or specialized specialists. This not only simplifies the process of obtaining help, but also allows timely diagnosis and treatment of disorders, preventing their complications.
Services that will become part of the medical guarantee program will be completely free of charge for patients. Earlier, the Ministry of Health also announced plans to create a national hotline for emotional support and suicide prevention, as part of a broader strategy to support mental health in Ukraine.
