The Basic Psychologist arrives in Campania, like the doctor: it is the first Region in Italy

Campania is the first region in Italy to approve the provision of a primary care psychologist alongside the family doctor, improving the quality of healthcare services. This was made possible by the Constitutional Court's landmark ruling of December 13th.

This is a truly historic turning point because it more explicitly places psychological distress on the same level as physical distress. Families will finally be able to benefit from this free service, in addition to their pediatrician and general practitioner.

Naturally, in a very difficult historical period like the one we are experiencing due to the pandemic, psychological support of this type is essential, especially for managing behavioral and emotional issues related to Covid.

As stated by the President of the Campania Region, this new service will also give the possibility of new hires.

Where can you find the Basic Psychologist

The General Psychologist will be located in the health districts of the Local Health Authorities , like the pediatrician and the general practitioner and will be a free and freely chosen service, just like for the other two figures mentioned.

Freelance psychologists will be available to families through an agreement with each local health authority (ASL) at the basic health district level.

Psychological support for vaccine doubts

Please note that a psychological support service has been available for some time now for anyone fearful of the COVID-19 vaccine. The ASL psychologist helps them gain the necessary awareness and overcome any doubts that may have arisen during this delicate period.

Therefore that of the Basic Psychologist is a figure who continues and perfects the path already opened thanks to this already active psychological support.

The ruling of the Constitutional Court

This role will finally become a reality thanks to the Constitutional Court's ruling 241 of 2021 , which rejected the appeal of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers against the Campania Regional Law . This is Law 35 of August 3, 2020, which specifically provides for the establishment of this service within the local health districts. This service was conceived primarily to address the need to provide support to people who have suffered the emotional and behavioral consequences of the pandemic.

Fortunately, the Constitutional Court rejected this appeal and now in Campania, before all other regions , it will be possible to turn to this figure.

The importance of the Basic Psychologist for families

Not only are pandemic-related issues causing psychological distress, but many other factors are also at the root of the emotional and psychological problems experienced by so many of us. With the help of these professional psychologists, the work of primary care physicians and pediatricians can be complemented to reduce psychological distress among the population.

In this way you will be more efficient in understanding the psychological well-being needs that too often do not find expression and also in better managing psychological assistance.

As stated in the sentence, the purpose is

a) intercepting and reducing the growing burden of psychological disorders in the population, constituting a filter for both secondary levels of care and first aid;

b) intercept the psychological well-being needs that often remain unexpressed by the population;

c) organize and manage decentralized psychological assistance with respect to some types of care;

d) achieve good integration with specialist second-level psychological and mental health services and with more general health services;

e) intercepting and managing the behavioral and emotional problems deriving from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Regional Observatories within each ASL

To ensure the provision of a General Practitioner Psychology service, €600 has been allocated for the two-year period 2020-2021, and our Region has also established a Regional Observatory in each Local Health Authority (ASL ). The Observatory is made up of two psychologists appointed by the Campania Order of Psychologists, a hospital psychologist, a manager, two university professors, a Campania Region official with expertise in psychology, a Campania Region employee with secretarial duties, a representative of a trade union representing the profession, a representative of general practitioners, a representative of a scientific psychology society, and a representative of private pediatricians.