Governance

Governmental authorities involved in policy making in the field of health of youth are:

• The Ministry of Health (Ministrstvo za zdravje) represents the main body for conducting health policy for the most significant benefit of all the inhabitants of Slovenia so that accessible, efficient, high-quality, and safe medical treatment and the highest level of protection and strengthening of health are ensured.
• The Directorate for Public Health (Direktorat za javno zdravje) is part of the Ministry of Health and cares for public health. It carries out activities for preventing diseases, strengthening health, prolonging life, and reducing inequalities in health.
• The National Institute of Public Health (Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje; NIJZ) is the central national institution, the primary purpose of which is to study, protect and increase the health of the population of the Republic of Slovenia through public awareness and other preventive measures.
• The Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities (Ministrstvo za delo, družino, socialne zadeve in enake možnosti) is responsible for measures and policies in the field of family. The concept of family policy encompasses a series of interconnected social, economic, legal, pedagogical, health, and other measures to improve the quality of life of both families and individual family members (young members). They also implement measures that affect young people in the social services field, disabled people, and people with fewer opportunities.
• The Ministry of Education (Ministrstvo za vzgojo in izobraževanje) and the Ministry of  Higher Education, Science and Innovation are responsible for developing responsible knowledge in society. They create conditions for the development of socially responsible and satisfied generations. Together with other stakeholders, they co-create an inclusive, equal, sustainable, and creative society of lifelong learning, strengthen young people's participation, and encourage sports activities.

The main actors in the field of health of youth representing youth are:

• The National Youth Council of Slovenia (Mladinski svet Slovenije) as an umbrella organisation of youth organisations operating at the national level
• No Excuse Slovenia (Mladinska zveza Brez izgovorov Slovenija) as a national youth organisation acting in the public interest
• The Slovenian Student Union (Študentska organizacija Slovenije) as the main organisation representing the interests  of all Slovenian students.

Under the Health Services Act (Zakon o zdravstveni dejavnosti), responsibilities are distributed as follows:

According to Article 5:

• The network of public health services at the primary level is determined and provided by the municipality or city.
• The Republic of Slovenia participates in the provision of a public health service network at the primary level in demographically endangered areas in accordance with the healthcare plan.
• The Republic of Slovenia exceptionally determines and provides public health services at the primary level for the healthcare of students.

The responsibilities for youth health among organisations that represent youth are distributed as following:

• The National Youth Council of Slovenia prepares programme documents on the topic of youth health.
• No Excuse Slovenia specifically focuses on the health and well-being of young people.
• The Slovenian Student Union represents the interests of students in the fields that include health, sport and social affairs.

Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governmental authorities are responsible for cross-sectorial cooperation, depending on the issue being considered.

The National Programme for Youth 2013–2022 (Resolucija o Nacionalnem programu za mladino 2013-2022) has a special section on health and well-being. According to different priority subsections, different public actors cooperate:

1. Priority subsection 1: ensuring systematic conditions for regular physical activity: the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport cooperates with the Ministry of Health.
2. Priority subsection 2: providing systematic conditions for balanced nutrition for young people aged 15–29: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.
3. Priority subsection 3: providing systemic conditions for monitoring and taking action with overweight or obese young people aged 15–29: the Ministry of Health cooperates the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
4. Priority subsection 4: providing systemic conditions for reducing risky and harmful use of alcohol: the Ministry of Health cooperates the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food; and the Ministry of the Interior.
5. Priority subsection 5: providing systematic conditions for encouraging the cessation of smoking by young people: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
6. Priority subsection 6: reducing demand for illicit drugs and preventing the supply of illicit drugs: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Ministry of the Interior.
7. Priority subsection 7: providing systematic conditions for the healthy and safe entertainment of young people and managing violence related to public events and sports, as well as vandalism: the Ministry of the Interior cooperates with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food; the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Ministry of Health; the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief; and the Ministry of Justice.
8. Priority subsection 8: providing systematic conditions for improving the sexual and reproductive health of young people: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
9. Priority subsection 9: reducing the number of children and young people who commit suicide: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities; and the Ministry of the Interior.
10. Priority subsection 10: developing mechanisms for early recognition and treatment of young people with mental health problems: the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities; and the Ministry of the Interior.
11. Priority subsection 11: raising awareness among employers, mentors and supervisors about the risks and measures related to the work of young workers, as well as promoting a culture of safety among youth, including the introduction of health and safety at work in education and training: the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the National Institute of Public Health; the University Medical Centre (UKC) Ljubljana – Clinical Institute for Occupational, Traffic and Sport Medicine; social partners; and occupational safety and health professionals.
12. Priority subsection 12: providing systematic conditions for improving the traffic safety of young people: the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
13. Priority subsection 13: increasing the number of young people using public passenger transport: the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.
14. Priority subsection 14: inclusion of young people in the design, implementation and evaluation of health-related programmes for the environment: the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning cooperates with the National Institute of Public Health; the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency; and the Slovenian Environment Agency.
15. Priority subsection 15: raising awareness among young people and their training to carry out healthy lifestyle activities to reduce environmental health risk factors: the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning cooperates with the National Institute of Public Health; the University Medical Centre (UKC) Ljubljana; hospitals; and the Slovenian Environment Agency.

The framework for cross-sectorial cooperation is also set out in the Programme for Children and Young People 2006–2016 (Program za otroke in mladino 2006–2016), which was renewed in 2013 (see Section 7.3).