The right to provide psychological services without the need for diploma nostrification, established for psychologists and psychiatrists from Ukraine, expires on August 24, 2023. Failure to extend this right may lead to a crisis in the psychological counseling sector, affecting the quality of support provided to refugees. Together with over 130 representatives of social organizations, we have sent a letter to the Commissioner for Civil Rights, emphasizing the urgent need for regulatory changes. We kindly request the Commissioner’s intervention in this important matter.
Over 100 social organizations appeal for support for psychologists from Ukraine
On August 22nd, as representatives of social organizations supporting refugees and displaced individuals who have arrived in Poland from Ukraine, we submitted a letter to the Commissioner for Civil Rights. The purpose of the letter is to request urgent intervention regarding the extension of the right to provide psychological services without the need for diploma nostrification for psychologists from Ukraine. The letter has been signed by representatives of non-governmental organizations, psychological and educational counseling centers, as well as experts in psychological assistance.
The lack of extension for the diploma nostrification deadline could result in a crisis in psychological counseling provided by over 400 NGOs and nearly all public institutions throughout the country. The matter of enabling Ukrainian psychologists to practice without diploma nostrification was regulated in the so-called ‘Special Act’ – Article 64a of the Act of March 12, 2022, on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that country. However, the rights stemming from this aforementioned act are set to expire on August 24, 2023.
We recommend that the provisions of the Special Act allowing Ukrainian psychologists to practice for individuals under temporary protection be extended for the duration of temporary protection for citizens of Ukraine.
The full content of the letter (in Polish) can be downloaded below.