Psychotherapists and psychologists must be certified: Zelensky signs law
7 February 2025 05:10
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law providing for the certification of mental health professionals. The relevant document was published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The Verkhovna Rada supported this law in the second reading on January 15.
The law provides for unified certification standards in the professional areas of psychologists’ work. Psychologists will be certified by the National Commission. Psychotherapists will be certified by self-regulatory organizations (SROs) with international recognition.
“Mental health professionals are individuals who provide mental health care, have the appropriate education, possess the necessary professional knowledge and skills, and have met the requirements for attestation and/or certification established by law,” the document says.
Special attention will also be paid to mental health care in the workplace. In particular, employers are encouraged to create psychosocial support programs for employees.
In addition, the law introduces clear definitions of such concepts as “mental health,” “mental health service,” “mental health service provider,” and “mental health professionals.”
The Law also introduces clear definitions of such concepts as “mental health”, “mental health service”, “mental health service provider”, “mental health professionals” and others necessary for high-quality legal regulation of this area.
The law also provides for the creation of conditions for the development of a system of professional self-regulation and training in this area, including the possibility for professional associations of specialists to acquire the status of self-regulatory organizations.
The law pays attention to the mental health of employees for the first time. Employers will be required to develop programs of psychosocial support for employees.
