Excessive waiting times, appointments or medications that are unavailable: although mental health is a "major national cause" difficulties in accessing healthcare remain "massive", particularly for 18-24 year olds, warns the French Hospital Federation (FHF) on Wednesday, calling for measures "concrete" And "funded".
Among the French who reported being affected by mental health problems in 2026, 641% of 18-24 year olds said they had faced "Excessive waiting times" to access a psychiatrist and 52% say he was " impossible " to secure an appointment, according to an Ipsos poll for the FHF, conducted online in February with a representative sample of 2,500 people.
"The demand for mental health care continues to grow."
Approximately 381 of these young people aged 18-24 experiencing mental health difficulties report having experienced a medication shortage, and 491 report interruptions in care leaving "without medical supervision for a certain period of time." Overall, excessively long waiting times affected 45% of French people who felt they needed care, and 38% were unable to get an appointment.
"Despite a slight improvement compared to 2025, difficulties in accessing psychiatric care remain massive.", while "The demand for mental health care continues to grow.", the FHF laments in a statement.
The French Hospital Federation (FHF) highlights the alarming increase in hospitalizations for suicide attempts. From 2019 to 2024, they increased by 16.61% nationally and by 25.41% among women, according to hospital databases. “Among adolescent girls and young women, the figures reach particularly high levels: +76% for 20-24 year olds in five years; +118% for 10-14 year olds”the statement emphasizes.
"Increase the number of youth centers"
"It is urgent" that the Great National Cause for Mental Health "translate into concrete, sustainable and funded commitments"The FHF argues. The FHF, which represents the thousand or so public hospitals in France, demands "an interministerial delegation for mental health and psychiatry", "equipped with a dedicated multi-year plan" For "Supporting mental health centers" And "To combat the crisis in vocations in psychiatry, particularly in child psychiatry".
She also calls for the development of multidisciplinary units and teams for 16-25 year olds and "Increase the number of youth centers"These will be "reinforced" Health Minister Stéphanie Rist affirmed this before the National Assembly, also promising the appointment " next " from an inter-ministerial delegate for mental health.
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