Why mental health is important
Working far from home, isolation, language barriers, demanding working conditions or uncertainty about documents can affect your mental health just as a physical illness can affect your body. Mental health is part of your overall health. Asking for support early can help prevent a difficult period from becoming a more serious problem.
Some signs that you may need support
There is no complete list, and noticing one of these signs does not automatically mean that you have a serious problem — but it is worth asking for support if, for a longer period of time, you notice that you:
- Feel overwhelmed, anxious or sad most of the time, without it going away
- Have ongoing sleep problems — you sleep very little or much more than usual
- Have lost interest in things you used to enjoy
- Find it difficult to concentrate at work or during everyday activities
- Withdraw from colleagues, friends or family
- Have sudden mood changes or increased irritability
- Use alcohol or other substances more often to cope with stress
- Feel that you can no longer cope with your situation
If you recognise several of these signs in yourself, talking to a family doctor is a simple first step and does not cost you anything.
How to access mental health services covered by CAS
Psychological support (counselling or therapy) is not reimbursed directly by a psychologist — it is treated as a service connected to medical treatment, which means you normally need to go through a doctor first. In practice, there are two routes.
Route 1 — through your family doctor, to a psychiatrist
- Talk to your family doctor about why you feel you need support.
- If the doctor agrees, they give you a referral to psychiatry (not to one specific doctor). This referral allows you to go to any public hospital, private clinic or psychiatrist who has a contract with CAS.
- The psychiatrist may refer you to a psychologist who works with them under a CAS contract for counselling or therapy sessions (at least 50 minutes each).
- If you already have a mental health diagnosis, you can go directly to a psychiatrist who has a CAS contract, without a referral — but it may still be useful to obtain one because it can give you the right to up to 4 consultations within 90 days.
Route 2 — through another specialist doctor
If you are receiving treatment from another specialist (for example, oncology, neurology or palliative care) and the specialist believes psychological support would help your treatment, they can refer you directly.
What documents do you need
- Identity card or residence permit
- Proof of insurance (or a quick check on SIUI — see section 1)
- The referral from your family doctor or from the specialist who referred you
What you should keep in mind
- You cannot choose any psychologist you want — only a psychologist who already has a contract with the doctor who referred you. Your choice is more limited than if you paid privately.
- The process has several steps and requires some patience — it is not immediate, but it is free once you are in the system.
- If a private psychologist seems too expensive, this route — even with the extra steps — is a real and free option.
Source: Sorana Cîrstea (Substack) — “Did you know you can see a psychologist without paying?”; avocatnet.ro — covered medical packages and reimbursed psychological services