Patients’ Rights to Mental Health Care: Legal Regulation of Access to Health Services and Insurance Programs

The study examines the importance of legal regulation of access to health services and insurance programs for persons with mental disorders in Ukraine, taking into account modern challenges, in particular the impact of war on the mental health of the population. In conditions of extraordinary psycho-emotional burden and imperfect regulatory framework, analysis can help to improve legislation using the experience of highly developed countries. This study uses methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, dialectical, analytical, analogy and generalization. The goal is to develop recommendations for integrating international standards that will provide comprehensive protection of patients’ rights and access to effective medical care even in crisis conditions. The conflict in Ukraine has further exacerbated mental health problems, with a growing demand for psychological and psychiatric care due to trauma related to war, displacement, and constant stress. Current legislation does not meet modern psycho-emotional needs. Legislative inconsistencies, funding gaps, and terminological uncertainty impede access to basic medical services and insurance programs. Establishing a unified legal framework aligned with international standards is crucial to ensuring comprehensive health care and protecting patients’ rights.