Portugal advances mental healthcare reform with WHO evaluation
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Portugal’s national coordinator for Mental Health Policies, Miguel Xavier, announced that the country’s mental healthcare reform is entering a new phase after completing key legislative and organizational goals.
Specialists from the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe began assessing the reform at the Portuguese government’s invitation. Xavier stated the primary objectives of the reform, including new laws and services, are nearly complete. The evaluation will last four days and include meetings with national coordinators, family associations, caregiver networks, and non-governmental organizations.
WHO experts will examine legislation, governance, deinstitutionalization models, and funding. Xavier highlighted important progress over the last four years, including new laws, inpatient and community services, and teams operating across the country. Despite these advances, Portugal still faces challenges. Xavier identified long-term care as a major priority, noting that Portugal lacks the established long-term care options available in other European countries.
He also emphasized the need to improve treatment for depression and anxiety in primary care and to strengthen mental healthcare for children and young people. A key step forward, according to Xavier, is expanding Integrated Responsibility Centers (CRI) nationwide, which decreased hospital readmission rates by 45% during a pilot program. The Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan provided crucial funding for these initial steps.
