New mental health plan in Valencian governance was presented on Monday, marking a fresh shift in the relationship between the PPCV and PSPV-PSOE. Early voices suggested that the plan would not be included in next year’s regional budgets and that the 2021 proposal was simply a copy. The socialist camp responded promptly, emphasizing the plan’s ambition, while critics from the popular ranks framed the debate as a tone of bitterness rather than a constructive discussion.
specific item
The health spokesperson for the Popular Group at the Valencia Courts, Juan Jose Zaplana, ignited the discussion by asserting that the proposal announced by the Generalitat’s chairman, Ximo Puig, lacks a dedicated item in the 2024-2025 budget and that the 2021 plan had elements repeated without new funding. In a PPCV statement, Zaplana warned that the 40 million euros Puig cited for 2023 were not reflected in the official budget documentation.
A special employment plan for 250 more professionals and people with mental health problems in the province of Alicante
Zaplana also argued that the program appears distant in time, noting that the plan would be implemented later in the current legislative period, which still has months to run. The Popular spokesperson criticized what he called a high-profile presentation that echoed commitments made in August 2021 and suggested that immediate measures would be needed, including staffing and recruitment to begin soon.
250 professionals
The plan contemplates the initial incorporation of 250 professionals, with additional staffing to follow in successive years as the program unfolds toward 2026. It is designed to be developed through citizen participation and includes the opening of new day hospitals across health districts, the deployment of six mobile home care teams, the strengthening of a suicide prevention initiative, and the creation of roles specifically aimed at assisting people with mental health conditions. The intent is to address gaps in care and to broaden access to services for those in need.
The PSPV spokesperson for Health in Cortes, Carmen Martínez, described the PPCV criticisms as counterproductive, characterizing them as a discouraging stance toward what she called one of the most ambitious mental health initiatives in the country. Martínez argued that the coalition government had already allocated the 40 million euros across various budget lines, suggesting that the criticisms might stem from a misreading of the budget documents rather than a genuine objection to the plan’s goals.