On Tuesday, June 18, the House of Representatives approved Bill 014/23C titled “Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing,” a significant milestone in Colombian legislation. This project, promoted by representative Olga Lucía Velásquez and other key actors, aims to strengthen care in the country, especially prioritizing young people.
Law 014/23C establishes a management body within the Ministry of Health dedicated exclusively to mental health, giving it greater importance and direct allocation of resources, separate from the public health component. This differential approach will allow for more effective care adapted to the specific needs of the population.
Accumulation of mental health projects
Bill 014/23C was accumulated with other bills focused on mental health, such as PL 080/23, PL 143/23, PL 268/23 and PL 151/23. These projects address prevention, care and promotion in this field, seeking to safeguard, promote and ensure its access and the psychosocial well-being of all inhabitants of Colombia.
The development of the Project began in June 2023, in collaboration with the Colombian College of Psychologists and the Mental Health Support Network. More than 120 participants contributed to seven work tables, followed by three validation tables and the collection of citizen comments through two forms, before filing the final document.
Objectives and scope of the Law
The main objective of this law is to generate a regulatory framework that protects, promotes and guarantees equal access to comprehensive care in this field. The actions will be aimed at promoting mental health and psychosocial well-being in various environments, with a risk and life course approach. Access to promotion, prevention, protection and recovery services will be guaranteed through interventions based on scientific evidence, with a differential approach and promoting the social inclusion of people with mental problems and disorders.
Creation of the national plan
One of the most notable aspects of the project is the creation of the National Mental Health Plan, the design of which will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and will be integrated into long-term national policies. This plan will review its guidelines every two or three years, promoting citizen participation and the inclusion of people with diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity (OSIGD).
The Health Promotion Entities (EPS) will be responsible for ensuring timely and adequate access to mental health services, having these services within their care network, and providing training and psychosocial support to caregivers. Health Providing Institutions (IPS) will promote the training and appointment of professionals with experience in mental health, facilitating the identification of common mental disorders and creating psychosocial support strategies.
Interdisciplinary teams, made up of professionals from various areas such as psychiatry, psychology, nursing, social work, occupational therapy, among others, will be key to meeting people’s needs in promotion, prevention, early detection, evaluation, diagnosis, mental health treatment and rehabilitation.
national observatory
The National Health Observatory will include a specific section for mental health and the consumption of psychoactive substances, responsible for generating updated reports on the state of this in Colombia, analyzing treatments, risks, actors, and formulating policies based on reliable data.
The law proposes the creation of the National Directorate of Mental Health, attached to the Vice Ministry of Public Health and Service Provision, which will coordinate, monitor and follow up on the implementation of Law 1616 of 2013. Its tasks will include the promotion of training programs of mental health competencies, carrying out research projects, and guaranteeing equitable access to high-quality mental health services.
The approval of Bill 014/23C represents a significant advance in care of this nature in Colombia. With the creation of new instances and the allocation of specific resources, it is expected to improve access and quality of services, promoting the psychosocial well-being of the population and comprehensively addressing the challenges associated with mental health in the country.
