Þórhildur raises concerns over psychological services funding in Iceland’s Alþingi

During a session at Alþingi, Þórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir, the leader of the Pirate Party, raised concerns about the availability and subsidization of psychological services in Iceland. She questioned Finance Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson regarding the potential introduction of government subsidies for psychological services before the next parliamentary elections.

In her remarks, Þórhildur highlighted that legislation introduced in 2020 aimed to improve access to psychologists under the Icelandic Health Insurance system. However, she noted that four years later, mental health issues have intensified, with a notable increase in societal violence. The government plans to allocate 180 million ISK annually over the next two years to address this concern and invest around 100 million ISK to enhance mental health services in health centers.

Despite these efforts, she expressed frustration over the lack of full funding for subsidization of psychological services, which she argued could significantly benefit the nation’s mental health, particularly among young people. She referenced previous comments from former Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, who also acknowledged the financial constraints faced by the government.

In response, Sigurður Ingi confirmed ongoing discussions with the Icelandic Health Insurance regarding the matter. He emphasized a clear intent to subsidize psychological support and establish agreements similar to those made with physical therapists and specialist doctors. However, he pointed out that a shortage of psychologists presents a significant barrier to implementing these plans.

Þórhildur Sunna deemed these responses insufficient, urging the minister to ensure proper funding for psychological services, citing a need for accountability to the decisions made by Alþingi regarding mental health care provisions.