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IS MENTAL HEALTH A POLITICAL ISSUE IN CROATIA

Comprehensive mental health policy in Croatia that would stress holistic approach to mental health issues is underdeveloped and still has to come onto the list of important political issues. Going from the classical cyclic model of the public policy process, Croatian policy for mental health is in the first stage of its creation: agenda setting(Hill, 2010). Policy change happens with the opening of the window for decision-making and clear involvement of strong stakeholders from different groups. That is possible with the intertwining of three process streams: problem stream, political stream and public policy stream, with various stakeholders active within each (Brikland, DeYoung, 2013 ; Green-Pederson, Mortensen, 2013 ; Hill, 2012). Goal of the paper is to present a research on Croatian mental health policy in order to find solutions for policy development.That was done through the analysis of public policy stakeholders and factors that cover state of the art in mental health field, effects of the existing system of care for mental health and perception of mental health issues in Croatia. In order to analyse political stream of this policy, paper offers an insight into the political will through programs of political parties and their connection with mental health themes. Paper also covers the public policy stream with the research of perception and attitudes of Croatian experts for mental health. Results of Croatian mental health policy research have shown that only one third of experts working in the field of mental health in Croatia think that Croatia has a national strategy for mental health promotion and prevention of mental and behavioural disorders. One fourth of the experts included in the research feel that different stakeholders don’t have a consensus about the terms defining the field of mental health. Almost eighty percent of examined mental health professionals think that Croatian policy is more oriented towards treatment of mental illness and neglects mental health promotion. Policy analysis and stakeholders suggest investments in the existing system as well as development of prevention activities and services ; investment in better care for children and youth in educational systems to prevent the onset of symptoms ; interdisciplinary approach ; collaboration of research and translation of evidence into practice and careful priority setting. It has been stressed that modern strategies that aim to develop holistic mental health policy have to use media to raise public awareness.

mental health; mental health policy; policy change; policy analysis

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