On 10 June 2026, the Health for All Project (HAP) organised a discussion forum entitled “Integrating Psychosocial Services into Primary Health Care: Towards Addressing Citizens’ Medical, Psychological and Social Needs”, as part of the project’s capitalisation process aimed at capturing and leveraging the knowledge and experience generated throughout its implementation.
The forum brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Operator of Health Care Services, the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund, health centres, healthcare professionals, and other institutional partners to reflect on the progress, challenges, and future prospects of integrating psychosocial services into Primary Health Care (PHC).
Over recent years, HAP has supported the strengthening of multidisciplinary socio-healthcare teams through a range of interventions, including the development of professional profiles for psychologists and social workers within PHC, the development and approval of their respective manuals, and the design and implementation of the Guidelines for the Management of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Health Care. The project has also supported training programmes and Peer Groups aimed at strengthening the implementation of these mental health guidelines in routine PHC practice, whereas training on the use of the Psychologist’s Manual and the Practical Manual for Social Workers in PHC is currently ongoing. An important contribution has been HAP’s support for the mapping of local socio-health service networks in six municipalities to facilitate referrals of patients to complementary services.
Panel discussions and testimonies from frontline professionals highlighted the value of collaboration among doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers in the early identification of needs, the management of complex cases, and the improvement of access to essential services for vulnerable groups.
A particularly noteworthy part of the event was the presentation of video testimonies from providers of integrated psychosocial services within PHC, offering first-hand perspectives on the impact these interventions have had on professional practice and on the lives of patients.
The contributions and reflections shared during the forum will feed into HAP’s capitalisation process, helping to capture lessons learned, identify good practices, and support the further development of integrated socio-health services in Albania.
🎥 Watch the video featuring professionals’ testimonies: https://bit.ly/3S3oX1d