On this page

1. National strategy(ies)

2. Improving the mental health of young people

National strategy(ies)

France has a national policy framework for mental health, but youth mental health is mainly addressed through a set of national roadmaps and regional health projects rather than through a single standalone youth strategy.

At the national level, youth mental health is address through a broader national policy architecture. The central framework remains the National mental-health and psychiatry roadmap (“Feuille de route de la santé mentale et de la psychiatrie”), which the Government continues to present as the reference basis for public action. 

In October 2024, mental health was designated a Great national cause of 2025, and this mobilisation was later extended to 2026. The Government frames this initiative as a cross-ministerial strategy built around four priorities: destigmatisation, early detection, access to care, and support in daily life.

For young people, the main sectoral strategic framework is now the school-health policy led by the Ministry of National Education. In 2025, the Ministry explicitly made mental health a priority within the school system and integrated it into its broader health policy for pupils. This means that youth mental health is no longer treated only as a health-sector issue, but also as an education-sector priority, linked to the organisation of school support and prevention.

At the level of health institutions, the National Health Authority (Haute Autorité de Santé, HAS) adopted a new 2025–2030 programme on mental health and psychiatry, together with a roadmap for 2025. The HAS states that this programme takes account of the deterioration observed in young people’s mental health and is intended to strengthen the policy framework over the medium term.

Improving the mental health of young people

France now relies on a set of operational measures to support young people’s mental health:

Access to psychological care

The main nationwide scheme is Mon soutien psy. It applies from the age of 3, covers people experiencing mild to moderate psychological distress, and provides up to 12 sessions with a partner psychologist. The session fee is €50 and is reimbursed at 60% by the Health Insurance system. Young people can enter the scheme either through a health professional or by booking directly with a participating psychologist.

Measures for students

Since the 2025 school year, every school, collège and lycée has been required to implement a mental-health protocol defining who does what in prevention, detection and support. The Ministry also reinforces links with Maisons des Adolescents and priority access to Medical and Psychological Centre for pupils who have been identified as needing support. From January 2026, pupils in 4e and 2de also benefit from the educational module “L’AIDER”.

In higher education, Santé Psy Étudiant scheme remains in force. Students can benefit from 12 free sessions, without upfront payment, with partner psychologists; the Ministry also keeps the Cnaé platform as a free support and referral point for students experiencing distress, violence or discrimination. The ministry also highlights the role of University Counselling Services (BAPU centres) on campuses.

Several guides have also been produced by the Ministry for Solidarity and Health and Ministry of National Education: "Une école bienveillante face aux situations de mal-être des élèves - Guide à l’ attention des équipes éducatives des collèges et des lycées" [A caring school environment to address pupils' mental health problems - Guide for the attention of lower and upper secondary teaching staff]; "Souffrances psychiques et troubles du développement chez l’ enfant et l’ adolescent - Guide de repérage à l’ usage des infirmiers et assistants de service social de l’ Education nationale" [Mental suffering and developmental disorders in children and adolescents - Guide to detection for use by National Education social service assistants and nurses]; as well as the guide "Agir sur le climat scolaire au collège et au lycée" [Acting on the school climate at secondary school and sixth-form college].

Listening and crisis-prevention services

For adolescents and young adults, Fil Santé Jeunes remains a key free and anonymous service for 12–25-year-olds, offering a helpline, a website, a forum, a chat and referral to appropriate services. 

Moreover, the national suicide-prevention number run by the Ministry of Health (3114 helpline) is free and available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.A healthcare professional, specially trained in suicide prevention, will be on hand to listen. The website also offers resources to help understand suicidal crises and advice on how to cope with them.

The follow-up system VigilanS is also maintained nationally and, by February 2026, was deployed in 17 regions including 4 overseas regions and 100 departments.

Key role of associations

Associations play a central, complementary role in youth mental-health support in France by working on prevention, stigma reduction, listening, and referral to professional care. This is especially visible in higher education, where the Ministry of Higher Education and Research explicitly presents associations as close partners for students’ mental health and describes their role as helping students speak about distress earlier and access the right services.

Mental Health First Aid France (Premiers Secours en Santé Mentale France) is one of the main actors in this field. The Ministry of Health notes that mental-health first aid is designed for everyone and contributes to early intervention and de-stigmatisation; in the student environment, the Ministry says that more than 6,500 mental-health first aiders have been trained and that the programme helps them better detect mental-health problems and point people towards appropriate resources. For young people specifically, PSSM France also offers a “PSSM Jeunes” module for adults who live or work with adolescents and young adults, which is aimed at improving recognition of distress and orientation towards care.

Nightline France is another major association supported by the Ministry and the Crous. It provides free, confidential, non-judgmental and non-directive listening services run by trained student volunteers, together with a resource directory for student psychological support. The Ministry also highlights several prevention and awareness tools developed by Nightline, including the “kit de vie” (Life kit), the “Tête la Première” initiative on physical activity and mental health, the Sentinelle peer-support programme, and the Mental Health Fresco educational tool.