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EACEA National Policies Platform
Spain

Spain

7. Health and Well-Being

7.5 Mental health

Last update: 28 November 2023
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  1. National strategy(ies)
  2. Promotion of Emotional Health and Wellbeing in the young

National strategy(ies)

 

Youth Suicide Prevention Plan:

In Spain there is no National Suicide Prevention Plan specifically aimed at young people, although its prevention and treatment is established in the Mental Health Strategy of the National Health System 2022-2026 . Although there is no strategy specifically focused on the group of young people, they are considered part of the general population towards which the strategy is directed, specifically strategic line number 3: "Prevention, early detection and attention to suicidal behavior". This strategy is supervised by the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, created by the first national strategy on mental illness in order to implement and evaluate it effectively. For the monitoring of the Mental Health Strategy of the National Health System 2009-2013, the committee will remain in charge and will use the indicators, described on page 126 of the strategy.

 

 

Promotion of Emotional Health and Wellbeing in the young

 

Mental Health Strategy of the National Health System 2022-2026

Strategic line number 5 of the Mental Health Strategy of the National Health System 2022-2026 places mental health in childhood and adolescence as a priority and emphasizes the importance of schools having health professionals who can promote emotional health and detect problematic signs of mental health or suicide risk. It also stresses the importance of strengthening mental health care in primary health care. The general objectives of this strategic line are:

- Promotion of mental health in childhood and adolescence. Prevention and early detection of mental health problems at these ages.

- Attention to children and adolescents with mental health problems.

- Fight against discrimination and social stigmatization of children and adolescents with mental health problems.

 

The Mental Health Strategy 2022-2026 is materialized with the Mental Health Care Plan 2022-2024, endowed with a budget of 100 million euros, 19 as a roadmap. Its main measures are:

  • Improve mental health care at all levels of the National Health System. To this end, the specialty of child and adolescent psychiatry has been incorporated into Specialized Health Training.
  • To offer professional care and support in the face of suicidal behavior to affected individuals and their families, with the capacity for rapid referral to the corresponding emergency services in the event of a crisis situation. To this end, the Suicidal Behavior Hotline has been set up at the number 024 "Call for Life".

 

Youth Strategy 2030 (EJ2030)

The Youth Strategy 2030 (EJ2030) points out the psychological consequences of COVID-19 on children and youth and proposes among its objectives:

  • Promote the mental well-being of youth, prevent suicide and end the stigmatization of mental health problems which consists of the following subsections:
    • Adapt and integrate health services for a system of prevention and early care in the field of mental health.
    • To care for young people with mental health problems, foster their emotional and personal development, and fight against the stigma of mental health and suicide.
    • Promote and collaborate with the associationism of young people and adolescents affected by mental health problems and suicidal behavior.
    • Promote systematic research for knowledge, prevention and good practices in the field of mental health, suicide and emotional well-being of adolescents and young people.
  • Tailor public services to the specific needs of adolescents and youth to improve their quality of life.

 

EJ2030 will be implemented through three Action Plans, 2022-2024, 2025-2027 and 2028-2030.