Fedez launches a petition to save the psychologist bonus, “a vital support for people who struggle with mental disorders and who, for financial reasons, cannot afford the necessary psychotherapy sessions”. Signatures to the ‘Mental health concerns us all’ petition, online at the link http://bit.ly/3FJin6F, are increasing minute by minute and are currently close to 8,500 signatures.
“In Italy – we read in the petition signed Fondazione Fedez, launched on the Avaaz.org platform – 2 million adolescents between the ages of 10 and 20 suffer from mental disorders. A huge number equal to 20% of Gen Z, that is, of all those born between 1997 and 2012. The WHO”, World Health Organization, “indicates suicide as the second cause of death in the world among teenagers between 15 and 25 years old. Istat has certified that in 2021 the 6th, 2% (the year before they were 3.2%) of children between 14 and 19 years old, over 220 thousand young people, were dissatisfied with their lives and experienced a condition of poor mental health. In hospitals and counseling centers there are 2.8 psychologists for every 100 thousand inhabitants, but according to the Higher Institute of Health, 1 psychologist for every 1,000 inhabitants would be needed.”
“Italy, by allocating just over 60 euros per citizen to mental health – continues the text – ranks among the last places in Europe. In 2022 the ‘psychologist bonus’ has been foreseen, an economic contribution to support the expenses relating to psychotherapy sessions. The total allocated was 25 million euros. According to the 2023 INPS annual report, out of approximately 395 thousand applications submitted to access the ‘psychologist bonus’, 99% met the eligibility requirements. Only 10.5 However, % was funded: approximately 41,600 applications”.
“In 2023 – continues the petition – the current Government has allocated 5 million euros for the current year and 8 million euros for each year from 2024 onwards. The bonus has the merit of having become structural, but with a drastically reduced financing which does not satisfy all requests for help. Furthermore, what is missing at the moment is the implementing decree of this measure which, if not launched in the next 2 months, risks frustrating the operation by channeling the funds foreseen into the budget general of the state”. Hence the appeal: “We ask the Government to pass the implementing decrees regarding the psychologist bonus and that, in general, there is a commitment to allocating more funds for mental health. It is time that everyone’s psychological well-being, and of our kids in particular, become a priority for this country.” In just a few minutes, subscriptions to Fedez’s petition have already risen to almost 13 thousand.
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