Croatia Ministry of Health to revise speech therapy regulations

The Croatian Ministry of Health has announced plans to amend regulations regarding minimum technical requirements for healthcare facilities following warnings from private speech therapists. The Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Speech Therapists (HALP) warned that over 40 percent of private practices could be forced to close by July 2027 because they cannot meet new standards for ceiling height, room size, door width, and sanitary facilities.

HALP estimates that more than 7,000 users could lose access to essential therapy if these practices shut down. Parents have shared testimonies highlighting the critical role of private therapy, noting that long waiting lists in the public system often make private care the only timely option for children with developmental needs.

The Ministry of Health stated it is open to dialogue and is preparing changes to the ordinance to address these concerns while maintaining professional standards. The Ministry also noted efforts to increase the availability of speech therapy through primary healthcare and potential contracting with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO). Meanwhile, the Croatian Speech Therapy Society (HLD) maintains that the technical standards are necessary for user safety and are not a new requirement.