Sixteen thousand potential beneficiaries. The “mental health package” passes to the House and will then be sent to the Senate for approval
The bonus to be used for psychological therapy, the so-called “psychologist bonus”, will have a maximum value of 600 euros per person and will be assigned on the basis of the ISEE, precisely to help those with mental discomfort and do not have the economic possibility of paying for the sessions by a private psychotherapist. The contribution has no age limit and from the audience of potential beneficiaries, estimated at about 16 thousand citizens, people with Isee above 50 thousand euros will be excluded. The measure, which will be financed with ten million euros, is part of a broader provision that allocates an additional ten million for the strengthening of the public network of mental health services, in particular those of neuropsychiatry for childhood and adolescence at both territorial and hospital level and social and health assistance interventions for people with psychiatric disorders. A total investment from 20 million for 2022 which was included in the “Milleproroghe” decree and approved by the joint committees of the Constitutional Affairs and Budget of the Chamber.
Discomfort exploded during the pandemic
The “mental health package” is now being examined by the Assembly and will then be sent to the Senate to conclude the parliamentary approval process. “It is a first step in response to the psychological distress that exploded during the pandemic and to those in suffering who did not know where to turn. It is not just a signal, but the beginning of a path to strengthen the public offer which in this transition phase opens up to the integration of the assistance provided by private professionals – comments the deputy Pd Filippo Sensi, first signatory of one of the amendments to the Budget law proposing the “psychologist bonus”, discarded by the Maneuver and now reformulated in the finished text in the Milleproroghe -. The bonus for the next few years could turn into an ad hoc fund to encourage this collaboration and increase the availability of assistance in the area ».
Package of 12 meetings
The financial contribution will be used by the citizen to support the costs of a cycle of psychotherapy sessions available at private specialists registered in the register of psychotherapists. Considering that the fee for a session is around 50 euros, with a bonus of 600 euros the patient can take advantage of a package of 12 total matches. The procedures for submitting the application to access the benefit, its value and the health and income requirements necessary to obtain it must be defined by a decree of the Ministry of Health in concert with that of the Economy within 30 days of entry into force. of the law.
The health criteria for accessing the bonus
“It is a great satisfaction that the promotion of psychological well-being is supported by all politics – he declares Fabrizio Starace, director of the Department of Mental Health of the AUSL of Modena and coordinator of the technical table on mental health of the Ministry of Health -. The challenge will now be establish the health criteria for access to the bonus. As with the prescription of a diagnostic test or a drug, in this case too a professional evaluation will be necessary to determine the real need for psychological therapy of the candidate. The indication for psychotherapy could, for example, be issued by the doctor of general medicinewho knows the history of his client, from the staff of family counseling or from mental health and clinical psychology services which are unable to promptly respond to the demand for psychotherapy ”.
February 17, 2022 (change February 17, 2022 | 12:11)
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