Andorra Plans School Links for Youth at New Spanish Mental Health Centre

Andorra's Education Minister Ladislau Baró has outlined plans to link young nationals treated at the new Sant Lluís mental health centre in La Seu d'Urgell with nearby Spanish schools, ensuring they can continue academic studies once their condition stabilises.

The facility, set to open in the repurposed Seminari del Bisbat d'Urgell, will reserve 12 of its 44 places for Andorran adolescents. Speaking at a recent departmental review, Baró emphasised an inclusion-focused approach, with education officials collaborating across administrations while respecting health ministry responsibilities. He noted that adolescents not in acute treatment phases could attend local schools such as the adjacent Col·legi Pau Claris, though operational details remain under study.

The pledge highlights ongoing efforts to manage involuntary admissions outside Andorra, particularly for mental health cases involving minors and adults. Social Affairs Minister Trini Marín stated that inter-ministerial teams are developing agreements and legal frameworks to prevent such placements from being deemed unlawful detention. Ester Cervós, Secretary of State for Social Affairs, confirmed a meeting this week among departments to advance this "complex but ongoing transversal work."

Under the PISMA mental health plan, referral psychiatrists must submit justifying reports, reviewed by the Childhood and Adolescence or Youth and Adults Sociosanitary Commission for coordination. Marín recalled existing agreements with centres in Barcelona and Lleida for minors, anticipating a similar setup for La Seu, though she referred specifics on vulnerable mental health cases to the Health Ministry.

Marín also announced a forthcoming press conference on aid for vulnerable groups formerly supported in closed lodgings or pensions, citing resources like the Arca d'Aixovall operated by the Andorran Red Cross.