On 13 September, the Verkhovna Rada registered draft law No. 12030 on the mental health care system in Ukraine. It was authored by a group of MPs, including the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Health, Mykhailo Radutskyi, reports Komersant ukrainskyi
According to the authors of the document, one of the main reasons for the development of this law is the growing number of people with mental health problems due to the war, economic crisis, and pandemic. According to the WHO, a significant part of the Ukrainian population needs psychological help, which indicates the need for new measures in this area, the MPs believe.
To begin with, the draft law introduces new terms such as “mental health”, “psychological well-being”, and “mental health care”. This is aimed at more precise regulation of this area and ensuring legal clarity.
The draft law provides for broad rights for people with mental disorders, including access to quality services, choice of care providers and the right to confidentiality. The rights of people receiving care are protected, while at the same time defining their responsibilities in cooperation with service providers.
To this end, the document proposes to establish a National Commission on Mental Health, which will coordinate activities in this area and ensure interaction between the authorities, NGOs and professional associations.
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The draft law also envisages the development of a system of professional self-regulation of mental health professionals, which will enable professional associations to acquire the status of self-regulatory organisations.
Particular attention is paid to the protection of the mental health of various population groups, including children, military personnel, veterans, and internally displaced persons. At the same time, special support programmes should be developed for these categories.
The draft law provides for the harmonisation of Ukrainian legislation with international standards, including EU legislation and WHO standards. This will allow Ukraine to participate in joint international projects and initiatives in the field of mental health.
The draft law introduces a system of supervision over the activities of mental health professionals through certification and monitoring of the quality of service provision, which will help to improve the standards of care.
Thus, the new law, according to its authors, is intended to significantly reform the mental health care system in Ukraine, ensure its compliance with international standards, and improve the accessibility and quality of services for the population.