Forthcoming policy developments

The Ministry of Health’s Technical Working Group on Mental Health has been working on the update of the National Action Plan for Mental Health (PANSM) since 2023. More than forty consultation sessions with non-profit organisations active in the mental health sector have been held to gather input from a broad range of stakeholders. 

The new National Action Plan for Mental Health (PANSM) 2025-2030 was approved on 29 December 2025 by the Unified Conference between the State, Regions, Autonomous Provinces and local authorities. It constitutes the new national strategic framework for the promotion, prevention, and management of mental health, including the stages of early diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. It provides for a more integrated model of care, with a strengthening of community-based services and of the Departments of Mental Health as coordinating centres for care pathways. The PANSM 2025-2030 pays particular attention to individuals at all stages of life, including childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, highlighting the importance of overcoming territorial disparities in access to services and in the provision of care.

Ongoing debates

In recent years, discussions have focused on strengthening psychological support services for young people, particularly in response to the rise in psychological and mental distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professionals and organisations have been advocating for the introduction of structured psychological support within schools, integrated with community health services, to facilitate an early response to adolescents’ mental health needs.

Some Regions have already taken independent steps to enhance these services, but at the national level, the integration of psychological support and counselling services into schools remains under debate.

Equitable access to health services for young people is a further widely debated topic, especially in relation to regional disparities in the number of counselling centres and the availability of free sexual and mental health services. Staff shortages in many centres, especially in southern regions, continue to limit the quality and accessibility of care.