Korea Designates Hospitals for Enhanced Mental Health Care Pilot Programs

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) has announced the selection of institutions to participate in two new pilot projects aimed at enhancing continuous care for individuals with mental health conditions. This initiative seeks to improve long-term support and management for mental health patients across South Korea.

The two programs are the “Hospital-based Case Management Pilot Project” and the “Day Hospital Management Fee Pilot Project.” The former focuses on providing comprehensive, individualized support to patients within a hospital setting, ensuring coordinated care pathways. The latter introduces a new payment model for day hospitals, encouraging their utilization for structured therapeutic activities without requiring overnight stays, which are crucial for reintegration into daily life.

These pilot projects are part of the government’s broader efforts to reform mental healthcare services in South Korea. By testing new models for care delivery and reimbursement, the MoHW aims to strengthen the support system for mental health patients, moving towards more community-based and continuous treatment rather than solely relying on inpatient care. The selection process for participating institutions was based on a previous announcement made on March 10, 2026.

The newly selected institutions will begin implementing the revised payment rates for services rendered starting from April 6, 2026. The Ministry will provide separate official notifications to all selected institutions regarding their participation and the operational guidelines. Detailed guidelines for the “Continuous Treatment Support Pilot Project for Mental Health Patients” were previously established on December 29, 2025.

Source: 보건복지부 — Original Article (Korean)