Ministry review to map gaps in children's mental healthcare
Estonia is reviewing how children move through mental health services to identify gaps, shorten waits and improve coordination across health, education and social care.
The Ministry of Social Affairs says children's access to mental health care is uneven, with long wait times, regional differences in access and little understanding of how young patients move between healthcare, schools and social services.
Now the ministry is seeking a clearer picture of the system to improve how kids receive mental healthcare.
The review follows a 2024 study that found Estonian schoolchildren's mental health has steadily worsened since 2010, with the sharpest decline among girls.
"Specialists' roles and responsibilities are not always clear, access to services varies by region, and long wait times delay care," said Krista Järv, a project manager in the ministry's Department of Children and Families.
She added that support can also break down during key transitions, such as starting school, moving between grade levels or aging out of children's services.
The Social Affairs Ministry is commissioning an 11-month study to map those gaps and design a future care pathway for children needing mental health support.
"The goal is to ensure kids receive timely, continuous care that meets their needs," Järv said.
Budget option, ideal option
The study will also propose ways to improve coordination between professionals, case management, information sharing and referrals between services, as well as examine whether legislative changes are needed and produce an implementation plan outlining responsibilities, timelines and recommended reforms.
To improve the chances that recommendations are adopted, the ministry has asked researchers to develop two options: one that could be implemented with existing resources and another, optimal solution requiring additional funding.
"The study may find that some recommendations can be implemented with existing resources, while others will require more funding," the ministry official noted.
The study is slated to cost up to €100,000, with results expected by mid-2027, after which any reforms would still require political decisions, cross-sector agreements and, where needed, additional funding.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Aili Vahtla
