Fedez doesn’t stop at mental health. After speaking about it in a guest interview with Fabio Fazio, he is now launching a petition to defend the psychologist’s bonus, “a vital support” for people who struggle with mental disorders and cannot afford the necessary psychotherapy sessions for financial reasons. In 2021 – recalls the artist – the Draghi government allocated 25 million euros for the psychologist bonus program, thereby recognizing the crucial importance of supporting mental health in society. “However, the Meloni government has drastically reduced these funds to 5 million for the current year and 8 million for 2024, jeopardizing the necessary support for those who urgently need it.”
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The alarming data underlines the seriousness of the situation: in Italy, according to the World Health Organization, 20% of Generation Z between the ages of 10 and 20 suffer from mental disorders. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 25 worldwide. Istat confirmed that in 2021, over 220,000 young people, 6.2% of children aged 14 to 19, lived in conditions of poor mental health and dissatisfaction with their lives. Despite the obvious need for psychological support, there are only 2.8 psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants in hospitals and clinics, while the Istituto Superiore di Sanità indicates the need for at least one psychologist per 1,000 inhabitants. Italy invests only 60 euros per citizen in mental health, making it one of the worst performers in Europe. The psychologist bonus, introduced in 2022 to support the costs of psychotherapy sessions, met with great demand: according to the INPS 2023 annual report, 99% of applications met the eligibility criteria.
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However, due to the drastic reduction in available funds, only 10.5% of applications were funded, i.e. around 41,600 applications. The supporters of this petition call on the government to urgently adopt the implementing regulations on the psychologist bonus and commit to providing adequate funding for mental health. If it is not possible to adopt these decrees within the next two months, there is a risk that the entire operation will be ruined and the allocated funds will flow into the general state budget. “The time has come – says Fedez – mental well-being becomes a national priority. With this petition we want to protect the psychologist bonus and ensure quick access to funds for those in need, highlighting the importance of investing in the mental health of Italian citizens, especially young people”.
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