Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

1. Overview

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), an arm of the WHO, notes that in 2024 Colombia's population was 52,886,363 (UN 2024-10-02).

According to information cited in a 2025 draft ordinance by the Health Secretariat (Secretaría de Salud) for the Department of Bolívar, factors affecting the mental health of Colombians include the armed conflict, social and economic inequality, limited access to mental health services (especially in rural areas), and cultural barriers and stigmas associated with seeking mental health support (Bolívar 2025-09-01, 71).

Infobae, a Spanish-language news website from Argentina (The Washington Post 2016-06-08), states that in October 2023, Colombia's Ministry of Health and Social Protection (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, MinSalud) and the National Consulting Centre (Centro Nacional de Consultoría, CNC) [1] jointly conducted a mental health survey of 3,430 residents aged 18 and over from across the country (2023-10-11). The article notes that 6 of 10 respondents reported their mental health to be [translation] "very good or good," while 30% deemed it to be "fair," and 10% considered it "poor or very poor" (Infobae 2023-10-11).

Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística, DANE) provides the following data regarding incidence of suicide per 100,000 residents by region:

	2023	2024	2025 [2]
National	6.3	5.8	5.4
Bogotá	5.7	4.8	4.7
Cartagena	6.0	3.7	4.5
Barranquilla	3.8	3.1	3.3

(Colombia 2026-03, 14)

DANE further notes that for 2025, suicide accounted for 13.4% of all adolescent deaths from unnatural causes and was the leading cause of female adolescent deaths (20.7%) (Colombia 2026-03-20, 6). The same source adds that among people aged 18 to 28 who died of unnatural causes, 5.8% of these deaths were the result of suicide (Colombia 2026-03-20, 6).

2. Legislation

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, Bogotá's District Health Secretariat (Secretaria Distrital de Salud) indicated that mental health care in Colombia is a component of the fundamental right to health, and [translation] "must be addressed through promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and social inclusion," in accordance with Law 1616 of 2013 (Ley 1616 de 2013) and the country's national mental health policy (Bogotá 2026-06-10).

2.1. Law 1616 of 2013 and Law 2460 of 2025 (Ley 2460 de 2025)

Law 1616 of 2013, which was amended by Law 2460 of 2025, provides the following:

[translation]

ARTICLE 4. Mental Health Guarantee (amended by Article 4, Law 2460 of 2025). The State, through the General Social Security System for Health Care and public and private educational institutions within their respective spheres of competence, shall guarantee to the Colombian population—while giving priority to children, adolescents, youth, persons with disabilities, and older adults—emotional education, the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental disorders, and comprehensive and integrated health care that includes diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation for all mental disorders. …

ARTICLE 5. Definitions.

…

3. Comprehensive and integrated mental health care. Comprehensive mental health care is the combination of sufficient, appropriate health and human resources to meet the mental health needs of Colombians, including the promotion and secondary and tertiary prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and social inclusion. Integrated health refers to the combination of the various levels of complexity, complementarity and continuity in mental health care based on the health needs of individuals.

…

ARTICLE 6. Personal Rights. In addition to the rights in the World Medical Association Declaration of Lisbon, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international instruments, the rights of people under the Political Constitution and the General Law on Social Security in Health (Ley General de Seguridad Social en Salud) regarding mental health include the following:

1. The right to receive comprehensive, integrated and humane care from specialized mental health care services and staff.

2. The right to receive clear, timely, truthful and complete information regarding one's health status, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, including the purpose, method, likely duration and expected benefits, as well as the risks and side-effects, as well as regarding the events and situations causing one's deterioration and the social security-related circumstances.

3. The right to receive specialized and interdisciplinary care and treatment with the best scientific evidence in accordance with scientific advances in mental health.

4. The right to have interventions that are the least restrictive to individual liberties in keeping with the law in force.

5. The right to have psychotherapy with the necessary time and number of sessions to ensure dignified treatment that yields results in terms of change, well-being and quality of life.

6. The right to receive individual and family psychological education on one's mental disorder and the forms of self-care.

7. The right to receive occupational disability benefits, under the terms and conditions established by the treating health care professional, ensuring the person’s recovery.

8. The right to exercise one's civil rights, and in the event of inability to exercise these rights, such inability shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of current legislation (amended by Article 6, Law 2460 of 2025).

…

9. The right not to be discriminated against or stigmatized on the basis of one’s status as a person receiving mental health care, as well as the right not to be subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment (amended by Article 6, Law 2460 of 2025).

…

10. The right to receive or refuse spiritual or religious support in line with one's beliefs.

11. The right to have access to and maintain ties with the educational system and employment and not be excluded on the basis of a mental disorder.

12. The right to always receive the medicine required for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

13. The right to demand that informed consent be taken into account for treatment.

14. The right not to be subjected to clinical trials or experimental treatments without informed consent.

15. The right to confidentiality of care information and to respect the privacy of other patients.

16. The right to return to one's family and community.

17. The right to mental health education beginning in childhood, provided by educational institutions, promoting healthy habits and democratic values in family, community, and institutional settings, as well as emotional education, guidance, support, and follow-up in managing emotions (added by Article 6, Law 2460 of 2025).

…

ARTICLE 8. Promotion. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection will lead mental health promotional activities to positively impact factors in mental health, including the following: social inclusion, elimination of stigma and discrimination, proper treatment and violence prevention, harassment and bullying at school, suicide prevention, prevention of psychoactive substance use, social participation, and economic and food security.

…

ARTICLE 12. Comprehensive Network of Mental Health Service Delivery. Territorial bodies and benefit plan administration companies must provide a comprehensive network of public and private mental health service delivery, as part of a general health care service network.

This network will provide services under the primary care strategy framework following a comprehensive care model that includes the delivery of services at all levels of complexity. It guarantees quality care in a timely, sufficient, ongoing, relevant manner with easy access to mental health promotion services as well as, preventive, early detection, diagnostic, intervention, treatment and rehabilitation services.

This interconnected network will be coordinated under a referral and counter-referral system that guarantees the effective return of cases to the first level of care.

…

ARTICLE 13. Terms and Conditions of Comprehensive and Integrated Mental Health Care. The comprehensive mental health service delivery network must include the following options and services, integrated into the general health care services at the health care institutions.

1. Outpatient care

2. Home care

3. Pre-hospital care

4. Addiction care centre and substance abuse services

5. Mental health community centre

6. Patient and family support groups

7. Day hospital for adults

8. Day hospital for children and adolescents.

9. Community-based rehabilitation

10. Mental health units

11. Psychiatric emergency.

…

ARTICLE 24. School Integration. The state, family and community should promote the integration of children and adolescents with mental disorders in schools.

The ministries of Education and Social Protection or the bodies acting on their behalf must work together, designing strategies that favour integration into regular classrooms and targeting factors that may have an incidence on school performance for children and adolescents with mental illnesses.

The certified local education authorities must adapt the teaching conditions and methods and train educators based on individual needs, relying on the support of a qualified interdisciplinary team at a health care centre close to the school.

ARTICLE 25. Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents. Local authorities and health plan administrators must provide comprehensive mental health services with specific care models for children and adolescents, ensuring timely, adequate, continuous, appropriate, and easily accessible services for mental health promotion, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, intervention, care, and psychosocial rehabilitation, in accordance with the provisions of this law and its regulations.

…

ARTICLE 38. Mental Health Disabilities. People with a mental disorder who find themselves temporarily or permanently unable to exercise their usual profession or trade will be entitled to receive financial disability benefits under the conditions set out in the regulations in force for dependent and self-employed workers. (Colombia 2013, italics in original)

Law 2460 of 2025 provides the following:

[translation]

ARTICLE 36. DISPENSING OF MEDICATIONS. The entity providing health care or whoever is acting on its behalf must ensure the continuity of treatment for individuals with mental health disorders and neurological spectrum disorders; to this end, it may not at any time suspend the prescription or dispensing of medications for the management of such conditions, within the framework of rehabilitation. The foregoing applies except in cases where the patient or the treating physician decides otherwise, following informed consent from the patient and/or their legal representative, whenever applicable within the framework of rehabilitation. (Colombia 2025)

According to an article by El Universal, a Spanish-language Cartagena daily newspaper, Law 2460 set out to establish a [translation] "comprehensive care model that encompasses not only clinical treatment, but also emotional education, community prevention, and the guarantee of continuous delivery of medications to patients" (2025-07-10). The same source adds that Law 2460 addresses issues around [translation] "limited appointments with psychologists or psychiatrists, wait times that can exceed 2 months, and a lack of professionals in [regions] that are difficult to access" (El Universal 2025-07-10). Citing a psychologist who works at a medical centre, the article adds that Law 2460 stipulates that [translation] "low-complexity health centres must have trained personnel to attend to psychological crises, anxiety, substance use, and other disorders, preventing cases from worsening due to late referrals" (El Universal 2025-07-10).

The El Universal article notes that Law 2460 identifies women, children, [translation] "diverse people," victims of armed conflict and members of ethnic communities as "vulnerable groups that need special attention" (2025-07-10).

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a global health researcher who has conducted academic work on the implementation of mental health policy in Colombia indicated that although Law 2460 proposes an "'ideal' institutional model that includes a wide range of services, … there is still significant uncertainty regarding their actual implementation and infrastructure adequacy" (Global health researcher 2026-06-08). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.2. Law 2377 of 2024 (Ley 2377 de 2024)

Law 2377 of 2024, which [translation] "establishes community psychology clinics in [post-secondary] psychology programs," provides the following:

ARTICLE 2. Definition. The community psychology clinic shall be a practical learning space where students in academic psychology programs can provide support and/or counselling for vulnerable individuals who need personal mental health assistance.

Psychological support processes are conducted under the supervision and oversight of teaching and administrative staff designated by the respective institution of higher education authorized to offer the academic program in psychology. These staff members shall accompany, guide, and authorize all student activities as part of their academic and professional training.

The services provided through the community psychology clinics shall be free of charge; therefore, under no circumstances may students and/or faculty members receive any financial compensation from patients.

…

ARTICLE 3. Principles. The operation of community psychology clinics shall be governed by the following general principles:

…

• Public Interest: The care provided by the psychology clinics is intended to offer mental health services to the most disadvantaged individuals. This aims to address the shortfall in psychological care in the country's health care system and thereby reduce mental health problems.

• Free services: The community psychology clinic shall provide services free of charge to eligible individuals based on their socioeconomic situation.

• Accessibility: The clinic shall guarantee students, faculty, and patients non-discriminatory access to its facilities, information, and platforms used to provide psychological services. Similarly, the clinic shall offer service recipients flexible hours and virtual care platforms for easier access to psychological support.

…

• Social Function: The community psychology clinic shall focus its efforts on providing comprehensive care to individuals who lack the financial means to hire the services of a licensed psychologist, or, more generally, to individuals or groups who, due to special circumstances, find themselves in a situation of vulnerability or helplessness. It also shall seek to train qualified and ethical professionals who can have a positive impact on their clients and society.

ARTICLE 4. Objectives of the Community Psychology Clinics

1. Strengthening the professional training of psychology students through experiences that integrate theoretical and practical knowledge by providing care to patients in need of psychological support.

2. Facilitating access to mental health services and helping ensure that vulnerable individuals receive timely, high-quality psychological care.

3. Raising awareness about the impact of mental health issues on society and the need for psychological support for children and young people who are still developing, as well as for vulnerable populations affected by violence or abuse.

4. Promoting the psychological care provided by community psychology clinics to address the shortfall in the health care system in the face of high demand for services and the inability to obtain timely care.

5. Ensuring comprehensive psychological support to prevent and treat psychological disorders through diagnostic, intervention, and research protocols.

6. Encouraging psychological care within family, school, and workplace settings to foster greater self-knowledge and personal awareness, thereby contributing to healthy developmental environments and improving personal and social relationships.

…

ARTICLE 6. Service Beneficiaries. Community psychology clinics shall provide psychological support services, with preference to individuals in vulnerable situations and entitled to special constitutional protection, such as those who lack the financial resources to hire a psychology professional or to obtain such services in a timely manner through government-provided services. The clinic must conduct an initial assessment of the specific socioeconomic situation of the patient requesting psychological assistance. In cases where it is considered unjustified to provide care to the patient, the clinic must inform the patient and explain the reasons for the decision.

Paragraph 1. Patients who meet the above-mentioned socioeconomic conditions and who, in addition, have psychological disorders and/or are victims of violence or harassment of any kind shall be considered priority patients.

… (Colombia 2024a)

The Executive Director of the Colombian Association of Psychology Faculties (Asociación Colombiana de Facultades de Psicología), in an interview with the Colombian daily newspaper El Espectador, expressed concern over the impact of Law 2377 on university autonomy, due to the [translation] "additional financial burden" of clinics for academic institutions, and the "possible ethical and professional risks" for students staffing the clinics (El Espectador 2024-06-24). The same article cites a former minister of education expressing concerns the clinics may restrict the ability of public educational institutions to conceive and structure their own academic programs (El Espectador 2024-06-24). The article further cites the Executive Director of the Colombian Association of Psychology Faculties over fears concerning the law's intention to treat victims of the armed conflict, which they feel may risk [translation] "revictimization" for survivors who may have "complex and profound psychological issues" (El Espectador2024-06-24).

3. Availability and Accessibility of Mental Health Services

3.1. National Availability of Mental Health Services

The global health researcher stated that mental health services in the country are "heavily concentrated in major urban centres" (2026-06-08). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an independent mental health researcher, who has published academic articles on mental health care in Colombia, indicated that "major" cities, such as Bogotá, Cartagena, and Barranquilla, have "significantly more diverse" mental health care options available compared with rural areas, where such care is "critically limited in every possible sense" (Mental health researcher 2026-06-08). An October 2025 report on Colombia's mental health policies, produced by Colombia's Office of the Inspector General (Procuraduría General de la Nación), notes that 68.9% of all mental health services are located in Bogotá and the departments of Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, and Atlántico (Colombia 2025-09-22, 143).

The Office of the Inspector General states that there is a concentration of mental health academic programs and professionals in major cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla, while [translation] "intermediate, rural and peripheral areas" have "limited" access to qualified mental health professionals (Colombia 2025-09-22, 142). The report further notes that access to care is a [translation] "major challenge," as there remains a "significant disparity" in access to quality mental health services, particularly in rural areas and regions impacted by crime or armed conflict (Colombia 2025-09-22, 143).

The global health researcher stated that there is "an ongoing shortage of trained mental health professionals capable of addressing the country's complex mental health needs, particularly for victims of the … armed conflict" (2026-06-08).

The mental health researcher noted a lack in specialized training for primary care health care professionals, which negatively impacts patients with complex mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder, who can be "re-traumatiz[ed]" or "sedat[ed]" without a "comprehensive therapeutic approach" (2026-06-08). The Infobae article covering the 2023 MinSalud and CNC survey reports that 70.9% of respondents (and 77% of respondents in Bogotá) indicated that they are [translation] "almost never" asked about their mental health by health care professionals during medical appointments (2023-10-11).

The same Infobae article adds that 34.6% of respondents considered mental health services to be [translation] "poor or very poor," while 40.6% described them as "fair," and 24.8% stated they were "good or very good" (2023-10-11). The article by El Universal, citing data provided by Colombia's National Observatory of Mental Health (Observatorio Nacional de Salud Mental), indicates that while [translation] "over" 66% of Colombians have experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression, "only a minority receive adequate care" (2025-07-10).

In an article published by Re:solve Global Health [3], Laura Ospina-Pinillos—an assistant professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and a child and adolescent psychiatrist—describes Colombia's mental health system for youth as "fragmented and under-resourced" (Ospina-Pinillos 2025-09-02). Ospina-Pinillos adds that Colombia's mental health landscape has integrated "few" technological tools, which the country has been "slow" to implement, thereby leaving "large swathes of the population left out" and creating a "digital mental health gap" (2025-09-02). According to an article by Portafolio, a Colombian news website focusing on economic issues and owned by the El Tiempo company, strategies for delivering mental health care via telehealth have encountered [translation] "operational challenges"; as of March 2025, the national mental health hotline had been operational for 16 of the 40 months since its creation in 2020 (Portafolio 2025-03-19). The same source adds that while [translation] "some" cities, such as Bogotá and Antioquia, have increased their mental health care budgets since the COVID-19 pandemic, structural issues remain, including "a lack of trained personnel and [of] coordination among agencies" (Portafolio 2025-03-19).

The mental health researcher noted that Colombian citizens have 3 types of medical coverage available, depending on their circumstance, which are as follows:

• Prepaid services: "prepaid medicine or consulting a psychologist through private practice offers significantly faster access, but it is highly expensive"; this option "remains inaccessible to the general population";
• Private services, or "co-funded employment-based health care": "these services are affordable and partially subsidized by the government," facilitating initial access for formal workers, but "face severe operational barriers," resulting in wait times for an initial appointment that can exceed 3−4 months, and a similar delay for follow-up appointments;
• Public services [Sisbén]: care that is fully state-subsidized and for which informal workers are eligible, but which "operates with a much more restricted availability of professionals, facilities," and appointments (2026-06-08).
  
  

Regarding co-funded private mental health services available for workers from the formal sector, the same source added that a "major flaw" with this system is that follow-up appointments are "often" scheduled with different professionals," which "fractures continuity and disrupts" the "vital" stability required for a "clinician-patient" relationship (Mental health researcher 2026-06-08).

The information in the following paragraph on the availability of mental health services was provided in Colombia's National Policy on Mental Health 2024−2033 (Política Nacional de Salud Mental 2024-2033), by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in 2024:

In 2024, there were 208 [translation] "national institutions" offering "inpatient mental health services for adults," according to the Special Registry of Health Service Providers (Registro Especial de Prestadores de Servicios de Salud, REPS). A total of 8,286 beds were devoted to inpatient mental health care, 6,240 (75%) in the private system and 2,046 (25%) in the public system (the latter managed by "state-run social enterprises"). Colombia averages 15.8 mental health hospital beds per 100,000 inhabitants. This is "slightly higher than the average for the Americas" (13.58 beds per 100,000 inhabitants, according to a 2023 PAHO report) (Colombia 2024b, 46).

The National Policy on Mental Health, citing data from REPS, notes that as of March 2024, Colombia had 4.3 psychologists per 100,000 residents (Colombia 2024b, 47). Sources from 2025 report that for psychiatrists, there are 2 per 100,000 residents (Colombia 2025-09-22, 143) or 2.5 per 100,000 residents (Portafolio 2025-03-19). The Office of the Inspector General notes that Colombia has one fifth the per capita number of psychiatrists recommended by the WHO but still has more than the average for Latin America (Colombia 2025-09-22, 143).

Citing health care trade associations, the Office of the Inspector General indicates that 84% of available mental health services are offered by private providers (Colombia 2025-09-22, 143). The Portafolio article states that public investment into mental health in Colombia is [translation] "remarkably low," resulting in a "shortage of specialized hospital beds" and "limited" availability of psychiatrists (2025-03-19).

3.2. National Accessibility of Mental Health Services

The mental health researcher, referencing published academic analysis on the topic, noted 5 key barriers impeding access to mental health care in Colombia:

• The "social aspect," including stigma, discrimination, and a lack of community support networks;
• The "familial aspect," in which a lack of information or insufficient resources exacerbates the "overwhelming economic and emotional burden" that mental illness can "impose" on the larger family;
• The "personal aspect," in which "psychological barriers, a lack of awareness of one's own condition," or financial limitations result in individual "resistance to seeking help";
• The "institutional aspect," which includes "operational deficiencies" among health care providers, a "scarcity" of available appointments, and "high staff turnover," resulting in a "health care infrastructure [which] is completely overwhelmed and highly bureaucratized";
• The "governmental aspect," which consists of "structural failures in the implementation of public policies and insufficient budget allocation" to the detriment of clinical service quality (2026-06-08).
  
  

The National Policy on Mental Health states that Colombia's National Superintendency of Health (Superintendencia Nacional de Salud) [4] received [translation] "more than 50,000 petitions, grievances, claims, and complaints" regarding mental health care in 2023, "mostly" against public and private health insurance providers (entidades promotora de salud, EPS) [5] (Colombia 2024b, 49). The same source adds that patient complaints noted denial of access to appointments/consultations, delays in scheduling, and delayed delivery of medications (Colombia 2024b, 49).

The National Policy on Mental Health indicates that in late 2023 and throughout 2024, there were shortages of mental health medications in the context of a generalized medication shortage (Colombia 2024b, 50). An April 2026 article by the newspaper El Colombiano, citing the Colombian Association of Psychiatry (Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría), reports that the country is facing a shortage of psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, and ADHD medications (El Colombiano 2026-04-06). The article further notes that the scarcity of medication is attributable to a variety of factors, such as import issues for raw materials, EPS debts to suppliers, and delays in regulatory processes (El Colombiano 2026-04-06).

According to the global health researcher, "[a]dministrative barriers within the health care system, particularly" the system's "emphasis on financial profitability for insurers, … often undermine the legal right to health care" (2026-06-08). Consequently, the same source added, Colombia has experienced "a high number of legal actions, known as tutelas [6], which individuals use to secure access to necessary treatments" (Global health researcher 2026-06-08). An assistant professor at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, who specializes in health psychology and has conducted research on the implementation of psychosocial interventions and public health policy, stated in correspondence with the Research Directorate that health care service quality is [translation] "deficient" in Colombia's system, "particularly in terms of timely access" (Assistant Professor 2026-06-09). The same source added that access to "most" services is delayed, and the issue is "particularly pronounced" in the mental health field (Assistant Professor 2026-06-09).

The global health researcher noted that geographic and travel barriers "significantly affect" access to mental health care, particularly for older individuals and those based in rural areas (2026-06-08). The mental health researcher stated that rural sectors or small towns in the regions surrounding Cartagena and Barranquilla face "critical" geographic barriers to accessing mental health care, given that it can take up to 5 hours of travel to reach the nearest mental health care facilities (2026-06-08). The global health researcher stated that although a shift to telemedicine should alleviate some of the geographic barriers, its "effectiveness is limited by patients' lack of access to technology and insufficient digital literacy" (2026-06-08).

3.3. Accessibility and Availability of Mental Health Services in Bogotá

The global health researcher indicated that "around" 52% of all Colombian mental health professionals are situated in Bogotá (2026-06-08).

Bogotá's District Health Secretariat noted, citing REPS, that there are mental health care providers available in Bogotá, including for [translation] "specialized outpatient consultations, psychology, psychiatry, mental health hospitalization, partial hospitalization, and services associated with the treatment of mental disorders, substance abuse, and other related conditions" (Bogotá 2026-06-10). The same source added that, in practice, access for individual Bogotá residents depends on variables such as the person's insurance provider and health condition as well as clinic operational constraints (number of beds, staff, hours of operation, etc.) (Bogotá 2026-06-10).

The information in the remainder of this subsection is taken from a study of mental health care jointly designed by Bogotá's District Health Secretariat and the PAHO, which was carried out by the District Health Secretariat in collaboration with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). For the study, 15,151 surveys were completed by residents of Bogotá who ranged in age from 7 years old to [translation] "60 years old or more."

A total of 13.66% of respondents reported having accessed professional help for a mental health issue at some point in their lives. Of these, 55.21% had received care in the previous 12 months: 31.42% were seen 1−2 times, 14.46% were treated 3−5 times, and 11.29% were treated 6 times or more.

In each age group, the following percentage of people had ever accessed mental health care:

• Among adolescents (12–17 years old): 14.84%
• Among young adults (18–28 years old): 19.08%
• Among adults (29–59 years old): 12.99%
• Among older adults (60+ years old): 8.48%.
  
  

In each of Bogotá's socioeconomic strata [7], the following percentage of people had ever accessed mental health care:

• Stratum 1: 8.85%
• Stratum 2: 11.95%
• Stratum 3: 15.92%
• Strata 4–6: 25.62%
• Rural areas: 3.01%.
  
  

The localities of Teusaquillo (25.26%), Antonio Nariño (20.99%), and Barrios Unidos (20.94%) had the highest proportion of people who had accessed mental health care over their lifetime, while Usme (9.82%), Sumapaz (9.57%), and San Cristóbal (9.18%) had the lowest.

A total of 41.38% of respondents indicated that their last appointment was difficult to obtain. The main challenges faced were long wait times (65.35% of respondents), [translation] "excessive delays" in authorization from their insurance provider (26.97% of respondents), and having to make several phone calls (20.78% of respondents).

• Respondents reported the following regarding wait times:
• Among men, 32.16% were able to be seen within 1−5 days. Among women, 22.8% were seen in within that time frame. Among "intersex" respondents [8], no one reported being seen within 5 days and most (67.28%) reported waiting 2−3 months for their appointment.
• Respondents from the localities of Chapinero (44.87%), Rafael Uribe Uribe (41.28 %), La Candelaria (39.82%), Los Mártires (39.07 %), Suba (36 %), and Teusaquillo (35.26%) were most likely to report being seen within 5 days.
• More than half of respondents (52.9%) indicated that their appointment occurred 2 or more months after they requested it. This was most common among respondents from the localities of Bosa (60.88%), Usme (52.4%), and Tunjuelito (45.36%).
  
  

Among respondents living in rural areas of Bogotá, 41.33% indicated that they had been denied access to "certain" mental health services for unknown reasons; 16.74% of urban respondents reported the same. Respondents were most likely to report such a denial of service in the localities of Ciudad Bolívar (33.52%), Rafael Uribe Uribe (32.83%), and Sumapaz (27.55%).

Respondents reported the following regarding the quality of mental health care services:

• 64.08% of respondents reported that the length of time of their consultation with the provider was "'adequate or sufficient'."
• 58.19% described the service as "'good or very good'," 23.72% as "'fair'," and 18.09% as "'poor or very poor'."
• By sex, 60.74% of men, 56.28% of women, and 46.69% of intersex people deemed the service they received to be "good or very good," compared with 17.4% of men, 18.49% of women, and 36.02% of intersex respondents who deemed the service to be "poor or very poor."
• Residents of Chapinero (88.18%), Usme (70.88%), and Engativá (69.98%) were most likely to rate services as "very good or good." Residents of Tunjuelito (39.19%), Puente Aranda (29.66%), and San Cristóbal (29.24%) were most likely to rate services as "poor or very poor."
• The localities where respondents most often reported experiencing "discriminat[ion]" in mental health care services due to sexual orientation or gender identity are Barrios Unidos (27.5%) and Rafael Uribe Uribe (22.94%), while this was least commonly reported in Ciudad Bolívar (1.64%) and Bosa (0.33%) (Bogotá & UN 2023-12, 28, 44, 235, 57, 236, 237, 245, 249, 252, 253, 257, 251, 252, 259, 247).
  
  

3.4. Accessibility and Availability of Mental Health Services in Cartagena and Barranquilla

The global health researcher, while noting that data for Cartagena and Barranquilla is often less detailed, stated that those 2 cities should be "considered part of the urban landscape where the majority of services are located, in contrast to rural areas where basic services like general practitioners or laboratories may be unavailable" (2026-06-08).

Residents of the Dique and Norte subregions of Bolívar [which include Cartagena], interviewed in 2024 and quoted in the 2025 draft ordinance produced by the Bolívar Health Secretariat, stated the following:

• [translation] "There are no psychologists here … and no one to listen to us";
• "[We have] no time or resources to seek help";
• "We feel alone, with no one to talk to about our problems" (Bolívar 2025-09-01, 77, 114).
  
  

An article by El Universal states that, in public consultations on developing a mental health policy for Cartagena, an [translation] "increase in mental disorders, suicidal behavior and other mental health problems" was identified as the city's "main" mental health-related challenge (2025-11-11). The article further notes that this problem has been [translation] "exacerbated" in part by a lack of mental health services (El Universal 2025-11-11). According to El Universal, the policy's strategic priorities regarding mental health care and treatment include the following:

[translation]

• Equitable access to services,
• Integration of mental health into primary care,
• The development of community services that progressively replace prolonged hospitalization, and
• Psychosocial support and rehabilitation (2025-11-11).
  
  

4. Treatment by Society

According to the global health researcher,

[i]ndividuals with mental illness face significant stigma and discrimination within Colombian society, shaped by deeply rooted social perceptions and misconceptions. [They] are often labeled as undesirable or judged through biased stereotypes, including beliefs that mental disorders stem from spiritual causes such as divine punishment or evil spirits, or that they reflect a lack of personal character (Global health researcher 2026-06-08).

The Assistant Professor stated that stigma [translation] "remains one of the most persistent and structurally entrenched barriers in the Colombian mental health landscape," and that those living with mental illness face "significant social rejection, labelling, and exclusion" from family, community, and institutions (2026-06-09). The mental health researcher indicated that society's treatment of individuals living with mental illness in Colombia is characterized by "stigma, ignorance, and structural exclusion" (2026-06-08). The same source added that in the urban contexts of Bogotá, Cartagena, and Barranquilla, a patient's medical diagnosis "directly impacts … social inclusion, drastically limiting their access to fundamental rights" (Mental health researcher 2026-06-08).

The global health researcher noted that there is a "widespread perception" in Colombia that those with mental illness are "dangerous [or] incompetent" or that they "belon[g] to a lower social category" (2026-06-08). According to the Assistant Professor, Colombian media have contributed to [translation] "linking mental illness with dangerousness and crime," thereby "deepening social prejudice" (2026-06-09).

The mental health researcher noted that

a severe mental disorder (such as schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, or borderline personality disorder) results in minimal to non-existent social inclusion. Individuals face severe barriers to accessing or remaining in the educational system, securing formal employment, and accessing decent housing (2026-06-08).

The same source added that social perceptions of a person with mental illness as being "'dangerous'" or "'completely disabled'" can severely impair their relationships with others (Mental health researcher 2026-06-08).

The global health researcher noted that because the stigma around mental health is reinforced by families, communities, and media, those living with mental illness "frequently conceal their symptoms, avoid seeking professional care, and disregard clinical diagnoses, ultimately worsening mental health outcomes" (2026-06-08). The Assistant Professor similarly indicated that stigma and discrimination have been shown to discourage those living with mental illness from seeking help and reinforce their [translation] "isolation" (2026-06-09).

The Infobae article on the 2023 MinSalud and CNC survey states that, according to the MinSalud, survey results point to [translation] "reduced stigma around mental health problems and seeking professional help" (2023-10-11). Infobae adds, however, that [translation] there is still "stigma" against people with known or noticeable mental health struggles; 22.3% of survey respondents reporting being afraid of such individuals (2023-10-11).

Bogotá's District Health Secretariat stated that although the city has begun to make [translation] "progress towards greater empathy," creating a "fully inclusive, respectful, and stigma-free culture" remains a "challenge" (Bogotá 2026-06-10).

5. Treatment by Authorities

The Assistant Professor noted that although the relationship between those with mental illness and the Colombian state is [translation] "formally regulated by a rights-based legal framework," there is a "considerable" "gap between what the law prescribes and what individuals experience in practice" (2026-06-09). The mental health researcher similarly stated that there exists a "critical gap" between Colombia's formal legal framework and "real, accessible protection for citizens with mental illnesses," including in cities such as Bogotá, Cartagena, and Barranquilla (2026-06-08). The global health researcher noted that, "historically," authorities have "negl[ected]" and failed to prioritize those with mental illness; the government has been "criticized for consistently overlooking the mental health component in national health programs and systems" (2026-06-08). The same source added that such "structural shortcomings" have contributed to "heightened legal and social vulnerabilities" for those with mental illness, including an "increased risk of criminal victimization" and a greater likelihood of "com[ing] into contact with the legal system" (Global health researcher 2026-06-08). The Assistant Professor stated that law enforcement and legal system actors, and [translation] "even health institutions have historically lacked the training, protocols, and resources necessary to interact appropriately with people in crisis" and those with [less acute] mental health struggles (2026-06-09). The same source added that those living with mental health issues are [translation] "frequently exposed to situations of negligence, coercion or inadequate response by authorities" (Assistant Professor 2026-06-09).

6. State Protection

6.1. State Support Services

A study written by a team of 8 researchers and published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry, a peer-reviewed publication (Sage Journals n.d.), states that as part of Colombia's program to formalize the rights of civilian survivors of the country's armed conflict, in 2013 the government established the Comprehensive Psychosocial Care and Health Program for Victims (Programa de Atención Psicosocial y Salud Integral a Víctimas, PAPSIVI) (Constable Fernandez, et al. 2025, 1282). The same source adds, citing the MinSalud, that PAPSIVI was designed to support conflict survivors by providing "individual psychological interventions, therapeutic work with families and group and community work, led by social workers, psychologists and community advocates" (Constable Fernandez, et al. 2025, 1282). The same source notes that by 2023, PAPSIVI had worked with over 530,000 survivors (Constable Fernandez, et al. 2025, 1282).

6.1.1.Bogotá

According to an article on the Bogotá City Hall's website, the city has a 24-hour phone line, operated by the city's District Health Secretariat, which provides [translation] "psychological support and guidance" to callers (Bogotá 2025-05-07). The article notes that between January and April 2025, [translation] "over 40,000 interventions" occurred through the hotline; 10,561 of these involved referrals for "mental health or psychosocial care" (Bogotá 2025-05-07). According to information available on the Bogotá City Hall's website, the hotline, called Línea 106, is staffed by psychology professionals (Bogotá n.d.).

6.1.2.Barranquilla

In May 2025, the Barranquilla City Hall announced the opening of the San Camilo Hospital, a new mental health centre in Barranquilla (Barranquilla 2025-05-16). Sources indicate that San Camilo's launch comes as several other public hospitals in the Atlántico department—including Cari Mental, the region's only mental health hospital (Infobae 2025-04-16)—face major financial difficulties (Infobae 2025-04-16; El Tiempo 2025-04-16).

According to a September 2023 article published by the Barranquilla City Hall, the city offers several Hablemos (Let's Talk) [translation] "listening centres," originally created in 2020 (Barranquilla 2023-09-05). The same source adds that there are listening centres in all 5 localities of Barranquilla, as well as [translation] "mobile" stations that travel to popular locations, including schools, sports venues, and events (Barranquilla 2023-09-05). The article notes that these centres allow clients to access [translation] "specialized care, guidance and support from psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists," and adds that, between 2020 and 2023, this service reached "over" 100,000 people (Barranquilla 2023-09-05).

The Barranquilla City Hall also notes that since 2012, it has operated a 24-hour phone hotline to [translation] "provide guidance and immediate and comprehensive care on mental health issues" to individuals experiencing problems such as "suicidal ideation, panic [attacks], depression, addiction and domestic violence" (Barranquilla 2023-09-05). A December 2024 article from the Barranquilla City Hall notes the city's ChatLemos mental health program includes a WhatsApp line with a team of psychologists available 24 hours a day (Barranquilla 2024-12-29). A May 2025 article on the City Hall's website indicates that the city has added video calls with professional psychologists to its ChatLemos program (Barranquilla 2025-05-18).

6.1.3. Cartagena

An October 2025 article by El Universal notes the introduction of a free mental health hotline, Hablemos, that provides psychosocial services in Bolívar, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone or WhatsApp (El Universal 2025-10-05). The same source adds that the Hablemos hotline was launched by Bolívar's Health Secretariat and will be staffed by [translation] "an interdisciplinary team of psychologists and professionals in psychological first aid" (El Universal 2025-10-05).

6.2. Recourse and Complaint Mechanisms in Cases of Abuse

Bogotá's District Health Secretariat provided the following information on protection mechanisms available for individuals living with mental health issues in Colombia:

[translation]

Within the health system and under current regulations, individuals can file [petitions,] complaints or claims with Health Benefits Plan Administrators (Entidades Administradoras de Planes de Beneficios, EAPB) or Health Provider Institutions (Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud, IPS) [9] when there are problems with care, such as delays, poor service, or barriers in accessing mental health [care] … . If there is no resolution, they can turn to the National Superintendency of Health. … In cases related to mental health, the Superintendency can intervene to demand access to treatments, hospitalizations, medications, or any other service that has been unjustifiably denied.

…

In addition to administrative mechanisms, the Political Constitution of Colombia establishes the tutela action as a judicial tool for the immediate protection of fundamental rights. This mechanism can be used when the lack of mental health care poses a risk to rights such as life, personal safety, human dignity, or … health. The tutela action has been widely used to obtain court orders that compel health entities to provide treatments, therapies, medications, or specialized services necessary for the patient's recovery or stabilization.

Furthermore, institutions such as the Office of the Ombudsperson (Defensoría del Pueblo) and the municipal offices of the ombudsperson (Personerías Municipales) offer guidance and support to people with mental illnesses and their families. These entities can provide free legal advice, assist in filing tutela actions, monitor cases, and take action before the competent authorities when rights violations are evident. Their intervention is especially important when the affected person is in a vulnerable situation or has difficulty directly exercising their right to defense.

In cases of abuse, mistreatment, physical or psychological violence, exploitation, abandonment, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, affected individuals can also file complaints with the Office of the Prosecutor General (Fiscalía General de la Nación) so that possible criminal conduct can be investigated. …

In general, the Colombian legal system protects people with mental illnesses from abuse, crimes, acts of discrimination, or barriers to accessing health services; they can resort to administrative, judicial, or constitutional mechanisms to demand the protection of their rights and reparation for the damage caused. (Bogotá 2026-06-10)

The mental health researcher noted that for cases involving abuse, institutional negligence, or violations of rights, there are 2 mechanisms for patient recourse: the National Superintendency of Health and, in cities including Bogotá, Cartagena, and Barranquilla, the national Office of the Ombudsperson or the municipal ombudsperson (2026-06-08).

The global health researcher indicated that at the "local, district, and departmental levels, Secretariats of Health, along with EPS and IPS institutions (health care providers), are legally required" to provide "timely communication channels through which users can submit requests, complaints, and reports" (2026-06-08).

The Assistant Professor noted that although the country's legal framework for the protection of health care rights has [translation] "expanded significantly in recent years," the literature on the topic "consistently documents a wide implementation gap between formal commitments and the mechanisms available in practice" (2026-06-09). The same source added that research indicates that [translation] "funding inconsistencies, fragmented institutional coordination, and a lack of community infrastructure severely limit the actual scope of the protections nominally guaranteed by law" for those living with mental health issues (Assistant Professor 2026-06-09).

According to the global health researcher, protection mechanisms in mental health services "are commonly known" for their delays, and "tend to be forced to rush" only when judges file tutela actions (2026-06-08). The mental health researcher stated that tutela actions serve as the "primary remedy mechanism" for mental health care-related disputes and have become the "main and most effective tool" to respond to "constant refusals or delays by insurance providers to authorize appointments, therapies or medications" (2026-06-08). According to a report on tutela actions published by the Office of the Ombudsperson, there has been a [translation] "significan[t]" increase "over the years" in the use of the justice system to gain access to health care services (Colombia 2026-04, 4). The same report, citing 2024 data from Colombia's Constitutional Court, indicates that individuals are filing tutelas to overcome barriers to health care, including [translation] "shortcomings in the timeliness, comprehensiveness, and continuity of care" (Colombia 2026-04, 8).

Sources report that there is a shortage of mental health medications in Colombia (El Colombiano 2026-04-06; Colombia 2024b, 50). The global health researcher noted that under Law 2460 of 2025, health providers are "prohibited from suspending the prescription or dispensing of essential medications for mental health," to ensure "continuity of care" and prevent "administrative abuse" (2026-06-08).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] The CNC is a Colombian research and consultancy firm (CNC n.d.).^[back]

[2] DANE indicates that the data in this report for the year 2025 is [translation] "preliminary" and may change (Colombia 2026-03, 14).^[back]

[3] Re:solve Global Health is an "independent" online news platform featuring articles on global health systems (Re:solve Global Health n.d.).^[back]

[4] The National Superintendency of Health [translation] "oversees the health system, performs inspection, surveillance, and control functions, and has the authority to receive complaints, investigate irregularities, and order measures to guarantee the proper provision of services" (Bogotá 2026-06-10).^[back]

[5] EPS are "public or private entities that provide health insurance" and manage public resources in Colombia's public-private health care system (IBA [2025], 1).^[back]

[6] The tutela legal action is a "mechanism given by the Constitution of Colombia to everyone, through which a person may claim before a constitutional judge the immediate protection of his/her fundamental constitutional rights, when these are violated or threatened by the action or omission of any public authority" (Canada 2024-11-05). ^[back]

[7] Bogotá's neighbourhoods are classified with a socioeconomic stratum between 1 and 6, with 1 the poorest and 6 the wealthiest (The Guardian 2017-11-09). A 2017 article by the Guardian states that over half of Bogotá's residents live in strata 1 and 2, "mostly in dense slums" (2017-11-09).^[back]

[8] Regarding its data on intersex people, the report notes that the margin of error is larger than 15% and advises [translation] "caution" when using such data (Bogotá & UN 2023-12, 253).^[back]

[9] IPS are government-run or private health care facilities in Colombia's mixed health care system that provide direct health services to patients, such as clinics or hospitals (IBA [2025], 1). IPS are established by EPS, and patients can obtain health services from any IPS found in their EPS network, "typically" the one closest to where they live (IBA [2025], 1).^[back]

References

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Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Así Vamos en Salud; Asociación Colombiana contra la Depresión y el Pánico; Asociación Colombiana de Facultades de Psicología; Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría; Asociación Colombiana de Salud Pública; Barranquilla – Secretaría de Salud; Cartagena – Alcaldía Distrital; Clínica CEMIC in Cartagena; Colombia – Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social; Fundación Saldarriaga Concha; Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá; Fundamental Colombia; professor of medicine at a Medellín university; professor of psychiatry at Bogotá university (2); professor of psychology at a Barranquilla university (2); professor of psychology at a Bogotá university; professor of psychology at a Cartagena university (3); Revista Colombiana de Psicología; UN – Pan American Health Organization Colombia.

Internet sites, including: Asociación Colombiana contra la Depresión y el Pánico; Asociación Colombiana de Facultades de Psicología; Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría; Asociación Colombiana de Salud Mental; Asociación Colombiana de Salud Pública; Austrian Red Cross – ecoi.net; Barranquilla – Secretaría de Salud; Borgen Magazine; Cartagena – Alcaldía Distrital; CitiesRISE; Colombia – Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar; Doctoralia; El Heraldo; El Paciente Colombiano; Factiva; Fundación Saldarriaga Concha; Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá; Instituto de Investigación del Comportamiento Humano; Médecins sans frontières; MedicosDoc; Mutante; La Papaya; Organization of American States – Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Pontificia Universidad Javeriana – Programa Intervenciones en Salud Mental; Razón Pública; UN – Refworld; World Bank.