The Portuguese Parliament unanimously approved the creation of a national suicide and self-injurious behavior prevention hotline, according to a bill presented by Livre.
According to the law, the government will be responsible for regulating the line, which will operate 24 hours a day and will be free to access. This line will be coordinated with the SNS 24 psychological counseling service, which will be in charge of coordinating and maintaining the service.
The bill will come into force with the State Budget for 2024, which has already been promulgated by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
In addition, a draft resolution by the Left Bloc was unanimously approved, recommending that a new national epidemiological study on mental health be carried out.