How to access subsidised mental health support in France

There has been an “alarming deterioration” in the mental health of young people and women in recent years, the Fédération Hospitalière de France (FHF) has warned.

Figures from an FHF-Ipsos survey and FHF data analyses, published in April, reveal a crisis that has been worsening since 2019.

The federation is particularly concerned about a “substantial” increase in hospital admissions following suicide attempts.

For the second consecutive year, mental health has been designated as a Grande Cause nationale in France, highlighting once-taboo issues and encouraging people to be more open about their personal experiences.

Approximately 20% of people here are affected by some form of mental health disorder, and more than 50% reported experiencing psychological distress or suffering in the previous 12 months, according to official figures from Santé publique France.

Historically, France has also suffered one of the highest suicide rates in Western Europe.

The statistics are roughly comparable to those in the UK, while the US generally reports higher mental health issues, with diagnoses in around 25% of adults.

This is often attributed to greater acceptance of mental health issues in American culture.

The survey by Santé publique France found that half of respondents who had experienced a depressive episode did not seek professional support due to cost, uncertainty about available resources, and fear of stigma.

Mon Soutien Psy

In recent years, the French government has stepped up efforts to help people receive the professional support they need.

Mon Soutien Psy, created in 2022, is a national programme that allows patients aged three and above to have up to 12 sessions per year with a qualified psychologist, the cost of which is reimbursed by the French health service (CPAM).

The programme includes 7,799 registered psychologists, more than 1 million patients (including 461,756 in 2025), and 5.9 million sessions delivered since the programme began.

How to access the service

To access the service, you can ask your doctor or midwife for a referral, or book an appointment directly with one of the partner psychologists listed in the online directory here.

In all cases, discussions between the patient and their psychologist are treated as confidential.

An individual patient is entitled to book up to 12 sessions per year – usually in person, although they can also be by video consultation – with each session costing €50.

The psychologist will provide you with a treatment form that you then send to CPAM, which will cover 60% of the cost.

The remaining 40% is covered by a top-up health insurance or mutuelle. In certain cases, you will not even need to pay upfront.

If you are on a low income and benefit from Complémentaire santé solidaire, you do not need to pay anything. This is also the case for anyone receiving treatment for a long-term condition (affection de longue durée), for pregnant women from the sixth month of pregnancy, or for anyone who has suffered an accident caused by a third party, an accident at work, or an occupational illness.

‘It helped me face my demons’

The Ameli website includes first-hand accounts of people who have been helped by the programme.

Bruno (last name withheld) grew up with a physically violent father and felt a constant sense of unease. He also believed that nobody would help him.

Eventually, aged 57, he discovered Mon Soutien Psy and was able to benefit from the professional support it offered.

He said: “I turned up to the first appointment feeling really stressed. As the sessions went on, I got into it.

“The therapist is very direct. He asks me the right questions. I’ve been seeing him about once a month for a good year now.

“It helps me put things into perspective. I’ve actually come to understand the sort of childhood my father had, and I think the therapy has really helped me face my demons and be able to talk to him.

“Above all, it’s my relationship with others that has changed, my relationship with life.”

The government also offers a programme specifically for students, called Santé Psy Etudiant.

It can be used in addition to Mon Soutien Psy, offering another 12 sessions free of charge.