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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Lithuania

Lithuania

7. Health and Well-Being

7.7 Making health facilities more youth friendly

Last update: 29 October 2024

The youth-friendly health care services are coordinated nationally by Health Promotion Center of the Institute of Hygiene (former center for Health Education and Disease Prevention) The youth-friendly health services are combined into a single network of health care services providers through service delivery algorithms and improve cooperation among them to provide effective and coordinated youth-friendly health services. In 2023 the youth-friendly health services were available in 26 (out of 60) municipalities in Lithuania.

The youth-friendly health care services provision includes:

1) establishment of youth friendly health services centers in municipalities and employment of trained youth coordinators for low threshold, case management and human rights principles-based health care services;

2) establishment of the National Youth Health Internet Portal via which youth and specialists can obtain reliable, systematic, easily accessible information in an attractive form;

3) establishment of institutional and functional network for youth friendly healthcare providers.

The youth-friendly health services also involves consultations with youth organizations, youth and human rights NGOs, primary health care institutions (both service managers and providers), emergency centers, experts on social and education policy.  Youth-friendly health services are described in 8 service delivery algorithms in 8 priority areas: reducing the negative health effects of depression; reducing the negative health effects of suicides and self-harm; reducing the negative effects of alcohol consumption on health; reducing health disorders related to overweight and obesity; reducing the negative health effects of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy; reducing the negative health effects of the use of psychoactive substances; help in case of sexual violence; and reducing the negative health effects of eating disorders.

The model was first piloted in 2015 in Rokiškis district municipality in the framework of the project “Development of the model for the provision of youth-friendly health care services in Lithuania” supported by the Norwegian financial Programme. From 2019 the project scaled on the national level within the framework of the project "Adjustment and coordination of the youth-friendly health care service provision model at the national level" by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. The target group is young people aged 14-29.

Project results is here. On April 5, 2011, the Republic of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Norway signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the implementation of the Norwegian financial mechanism for 2009-2014. The goals of the support of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the years 2009-2014: to reduce economic and social differences between the countries of the European Union and within the recipient country and to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between Norway and the recipient country.

2009-2014 Norwegian Financial Mechanism Program No. LT11 "Initiatives for public health" (hereinafter - the Program) aim to improve public health and reduce health inequalities. After the implementation of the Program, more favorable conditions will be created for health care, strengthening and monitoring of children and youth, and the abilities of health specialists of national and municipal level institutions to reduce public health inequalities will be strengthened.Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of January 18, 2012 no. 57 "Regarding 2009-2014 "Administration of the European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms in Lithuania", the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania was appointed as the operator of the Program. Program support agreement on April 16, 2013. signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. On June 3, 2013, the tripartite Program Implementation Agreement was signed by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania, the Ministry of Health Protection of the Republic of Lithuania and the Central Project Management Agency of the Public Enterprise.

7.1 million is allocated for the implementation of the program. EUR (24.4 million LTL) support, 85% of which (EUR 6.00 million / LTL 20.7 million) is 15% of the Norwegian financial mechanism. (1.1 million EUR / 3.7 million LTL) – general financing funds of the Republic of Lithuania.