Psychologists and psychotherapists will be certified in Ukraine: what it means

16 January 11:55

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Law No. 12030 “On the Mental Health Care System”. One of the innovations of the law is a certification system for mental health professionals. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to the Ministry of Health.

The adopted bill defines the principles of the mental health care system in Ukraine.

Its key goals include

  • ensuring access to quality services for people with mental disorders;
  • preventing the occurrence of mental disorders;
  • eliminating factors that negatively affect mental health.

One of the most important points stipulated by the law is the introduction of a system of continuous professional development and certification of mental health professionals.

Thus, the document provides for uniform certification standards in the professional areas of psychologists’ work. Psychologists will be certified by the National Commission. Psychotherapists will be certified by self-regulatory organizations (SROs) with international recognition.

“Every Ukrainian will have a guarantee that they are seeing a real specialist, and specialists, in turn, will be able to receive official recognition,” the Ministry of Health noted.

The law also introduces clear definitions of such concepts as “mental health,” “mental health service,” “mental health service provider,” “mental health professionals,” and others necessary for high-quality legal regulation of this area.

The law also provides for the creation of conditions for the development of a system of professional self-regulation and training in this area, including the possibility for professional associations of specialists to acquire the status of self-regulatory organizations.

The law pays attention to the mental health of employees for the first time. Employers will be required to develop programs of psychosocial support for employees.

Остафійчук Ярослав
Editor