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[HEALTH] · Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia · 2 sources

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Part of situation: Croatian speech therapy regulation dispute (4 clusters)

Mental health services in Republika Srpska and speech therapy risks in Croatia

mental health statistics speech therapy regulations Republika Srpska healthcare Croatian healthcare policy psychological services

In Republika Srpska, data from the Institute for Public Health reveals a significant demand for mental health services. In 2025, mental health protection centers recorded 78,106 doctor visits, including 27,767 first-time visits. Approximately 47,118 adults were treated for mental disorders, representing 3.23% of the non-hospitalized morbidity. Common diagnoses included neurotic, stress-related, psychosomatic, and mood disorders. Additionally, 4,715 hospitalizations were recorded for mental and behavioral disorders, with addiction, schizophrenia, and depression cited as frequent causes. Among children and youth, 1,760 psychologist visits were recorded.

In Croatia, the Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Speech Therapists (HALP) warns that new technical standards for speech therapy practices could force the closure of over 40% of private clinics. The regulations, based on a 2025 law, mandate specific space requirements, including a 12-square-meter area, a 9-square-meter waiting room, and two sanitary facilities. HALP claims these requirements threaten to leave more than 7,000 children and adults without access to therapy. Conversely, the Croatian Speech Therapy Society notes that these standards align with existing health sector regulations established in 2020.

Entities

Croatia · Hrvatska asocijacija logopeda poduzetnika · Hrvatsko logopedsko društvo · Institute for Public Health of Republika Srpska · Republika Srpska

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Mental health protection centers in Republika Srpska recorded 78,106 doctor visits in 2025. bijeljina.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Neurotic, stress-related, psychosomatic, and mood disorders are the most common mental illnesses in adults in Republika Srpska. bijeljina.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Over 40% of private speech therapy practices in Croatia face closure due to new technical requirements. www.vecernji.hr
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Psychologist visits for preschool and school-age children in Republika Srpska totaled 1,760 in 2025. bijeljina.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] The Croatian Speech Therapy Society maintains that technical standards for health activities have been in place since 2020. www.vecernji.hr
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2025, 47,118 adults in Republika Srpska were treated for mental disorders. bijeljina.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] New regulations in Croatia threaten to leave more than 7,000 children and adults without speech therapy services. www.vecernji.hr
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] There were 4,715 hospitalizations due to mental and behavioral disorders in Republika Srpska. bijeljina.com

Sources

Zdravlje: Potreba za podrškom mentalnom zdravlju sve izraženija u Republici Srpskoj [bijeljina.com]
Zbog dva kvadrata više prijeti zatvaranje 40 posto privatnih logopedskih praksi [www.vecernji.hr]