The psychologist bonus is state law. The decree of the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza with the procedures for submitting the application to access the psychologist bonus was published on the Official Gazette of 27 June. The overall budget is 10 million euros for 2022. The bonus can be used by people who, due to the pandemic emergency and the consequent socio-economic crisis, find themselves in a condition of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological fragility, and who are in a position to benefit from a psychotherapeutic path.
The reactions
“The #bonuspsicologo is finally in the Official Gazette! With the publication of the decree, the measure is operational and the time for the launch of the INPS platform to request the
bonus. Good news, a good step forward for Italy on the subject of mental health, ”the senator wrote on Twitter Caterina BitiVice President of the Pd Group in the Senate.
“The psychologist bonus, finally, is state law. Published in the Official Gazette. Now it’s up to Inps to start as soon as possible with the request and booking platform. A little thing about mental health, but a little thing done. And in the right direction “. The deputy of the Democratic Party writes on Twitter Filippo Sensi.
Eventually the psychologist bonus became a reality. On May 27, the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza signed the implementation decree that gives the green light to the support and which provides for a contribution of up to 600 euros per year for people in conditions of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological fragility, to cause of the emergence of the pandemic and the consequent socio-economic crisis. The decree, provided for by Law 15/2022, was financed with 10 million euros for the year 2022. And the contribution, it is estimated, will be used by about 16 thousand Italians.
Here is how the psychologist bonus works, who is entitled to and where to request it.
Psychologist bonus, how it works and to whom it belongs
The psychologist bonus is up to people in a state of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological fragility “due to the pandemic emergency and the consequent socio-economic crisis”. Thus we read in Article 1 of the decree signed by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza. The benefit can be used to support the expenses related to psychotherapy sessions among the psychologists enrolled in the register who have joined the initiative from which the citizen can choose. The list of psychologists who will join the initiative will be published both on a reserved section of theInpsboth on the website of the National Council of the Order of Psychologists, and on the regional and provincial websites.
“After the publication in the Official Gazette – said Minister Speranza – it will be possible for those who have a ISEE up to 50 thousand euros, request a contribution to be used by registered psychologists. It is a first step. Mental health is one of the great issues of this time “. In particular, the contribution is recognized, only once, to those with an ISEE income not exceeding 50,000 euros. And according to this scheme:
- Who has an ISEE lower than 15.000 euro the amount paid is equal to the maximum contribution established: 600 eurowhich is equivalent to 50 euros per session;
- Who has an ISEE included between 15,000 and 30,000 euros the amount disbursed is equal to 400 euro;
- Who has an ISEE between 30,000 and 50,000 eurosthe amount disbursed is equal to 200 euro.
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Where to apply for the psychologist bonus
The Ministry of Health and INPS will communicate on their websites when it will be possible to submit the application to claim the psychologist bonus. This will happen in 30 days from the date of publication of the Psychologist Bonus decree in the Official Gazette.
To submit the application you will have to access the INPS website through digital identity. The INPS, once the period of receipt of the applications has closed, will draw up a ranking on a regional and provincial basis, depending on the residence of the applicants. Applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted – 10 million euros – and priority will be given to those with the lowest income. After having drawn up the ranking, INPS will send the beneficiary of the bonus a unique code which must be used for the purchase of advice from the psychologists who have joined the project. The code will have validity 180 days, then it will expire and will no longer be usable. The beneficiary must communicate his unique code to the professional who, once the presentation has been made, will issue the relevant invoice by uploading it to the INPS website which will directly provide for the remuneration of the services actually provided by the professionals.
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The data: only 16 thousand Italians need mental health support?
If on the one hand there are those who applaud the green light for the psychologist bonus, such as the deputy of the Pd Filippo Sensi, who says that the contribution is “a first concrete response, directly in the hands of the people, to the deep wounds left by these two years of pandemic ”, on the other hand there are those who claim that the psychologist bonus will be a flop, given the scarce funds made available. Ten million euros means that it will be 16 thousand Italians – so it has been estimated – that they will be able to take advantage of the bonus. The risk is that the questions that will reach INPS, once the portal is active, will be many more than 16 thousand.
The psychologist bonus “is a spot measure that will not really help those who, due to Covid, have suffered psychological repercussions and need concrete and lasting support, and presents evident critical issues – underlines Codacons -: first of all the funds made available appear completely insufficient. Secondly, the Isee ceiling of up to 50,000 euros in order to enjoy the bonus appears too high, and will also include subjects who can independently support psychological expenses in the audience of beneficiaries. Thus only 16 thousand lucky ones – concludes Codacons – will be able to enjoy the Bonus and a large slice of citizens who have developed forms of mental distress with Covid will be cut off from the provision “.