Lisbon therapeutic unit for youth mental health remains closed

A specialized therapeutic unit in Lisbon designed to support 20 young people with mental health issues within the juvenile justice system remains closed due to a lack of human resources. Although the facility, located in Bela Vista, was announced in 2023 and is fully equipped, it cannot operate without a multidisciplinary team of mental health and educational specialists.

A report by the Commission for the Monitoring and Supervision of Educational Centers describes the situation regarding mental health responses for youth in these centers as “very serious.” Data from April 30 indicates that 33 out of 165 youths interned in the six educational centers had diagnosed mental health problems, representing 20% of the total. While this is a decrease from the previous year, the commission noted that the change is due to the profile of the youths being interned rather than improved early intervention within the National Health Service.