Improving NL residents' mental health could cut costs by million

Improving mental health for Netherlands residents can save tens of millions of euros a year in social costs. Improving the psychological health of one million adults by 5 percent would save 144 million euros per year, the Trimbos Institute calculated. According to the researchers, this is the first such calculation.

The focus on preventing mental health problems yields an average cost saving of 144 euros per person. Trimbos based this on a sample of more than 5,000 Netherlands residents.

The study was done by the public health institute RIVM, the Trimbos Institute, and the umbrella organization for municipal health services GGD GHOR Nederland, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health. 

"Mentally healthy people can think positively, deal with setbacks, and are satisfied with their social relationships. Promoting mental health makes people feel healthier and function better," according to the RIVM. As a result, people call in sick at work less often and need less care from, for example, the general practitioner or the hospital.