Ferhat addresses Parliament on mental health reform bill

In the initial part of his speech, MP Ferhat expressed his strong disapproval of the bill, stating, "You have failed to convince us that this bill represents a progressive reform in mental health and addiction services. On the contrary, this bill constitutes the harshest anti-reform in mental health, undermining years of progress and development."

Ferhat criticized the bill further, saying, "While universal and equal access to healthcare is being demanded globally, you are segregating mental health services from the National Health System, reducing public mental health and addiction centers, and increasing inequality through privatization. You are enacting a law that dissolves the private psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric departments in Athens and Thessaloniki, and dismantles the Greece Mental Health and Research Center (EKΕPΨYE), ending its administrative and scientific role of independence by distributing it to regional administrations."

Continuing his speech, Ferhat stated, "You are abandoning the fundamental principle of regionalization of Mental Health Structures, transferring management and coordination to Health Regions, creating a hierarchical model with a rigid administrative approach, centralized powers, and conflicting responsibilities without the real participation of service recipients."

Ferhat warned that the consequences of this model would be detrimental to both the vulnerable populations in need of mental health services and the quality of work of therapists. "Collaboration between units will be difficult, and the needs of people will be hard to identify and adequately meet. Mental health department staff, already working tirelessly to fill various gaps, will face additional challenges as this bill contradicts patients' demands for stable therapists and units."

Ferhat also criticized the centralization of all programs under a single private legal entity, EOPAE, managed by a government-appointed administration. "The administrative structures of addiction treatment organizations are not impartial and are directly related to clinical practices. Merging all organizations under one roof will forcibly divide KETHEA, 18 Άνω, Argo, Janus, and Diaplous, leading to the disappearance of their services. This bill effectively abolishes free treatment options for citizens with addiction issues, ignoring new addictions among adolescents and early interventions for at-risk groups."

He emphasized the problematic approach to the prevention centers against addiction, which are left without future activity post-2027, thereby abandoning programs for information, awareness, and early recognition.

Addressing the issue of modern treatment centers for aggressive and criminal behaviors in children and adolescents, Ferhat expressed concern, "Framing social phenomena like aggression and criminal behavior as medical and psychiatric issues, labeling them as 'deviant' behaviors and proposing 'correctional' treatment centers is alarming."

Ferhat concluded by calling for an immediate halt to the discrediting and degradation of the National Health System (ESY). He demanded the immediate announcement of staffing for all positions, decent payment for health personnel, and serious incentives to fill all vacant positions, warning that failure to do so would lead to the functional collapse of the State Health System (ESY). He advocated for a comprehensive approach to addictions that prioritizes public health, community, and humanity, stressing the need for a coordinated and consistent policy in prevention, targeted early intervention, harm reduction, treatment, social integration, and the elimination of exclusions at both national and local levels.