On April 9, 2025, a discussion titled “The Psychological Well-Being of the Population: Experts’ Perspectives” was held at the “Áleumet” dialogue platform, focusing on the current state of psychological services in Kazakhstan and ways to improve them. The event brought together representatives of central government bodies, scholars, research centers, and experienced psychologists.
During the event, Yenlik Bainazarova, an expert from the Institute of Parliamentarism, highlighted that the lack of a unified law regulating psychological services in Kazakhstan poses a significant risk to society. According to her, current regulations are fragmented, there is no systematic quality control, and there are no clear mechanisms in place to protect the public from low-quality or unethical practices.
“We need a comprehensive law on psychological assistance,” the expert said. “It should clearly outline standards for training professionals, mandatory certification, a national registry, and supervision procedures. Only then can we prevent the risks posed by underqualified practitioners.”
Bainazarova also proposed the legal distinction between psychological and psychiatric care, and called for legally mandated positions for staff psychologists in education, healthcare, justice, and defense sectors. In her opinion, mandatory professional liability insurance for psychologists is the most reliable way to protect consumer rights.
Member of Parliament Aida Musralimova supported the initiative and stated that close cooperation with the expert community would be ensured during the drafting of the bill. Sholpan Karinova, Secretary of the AMANAT party, emphasized that the growing mental burden in society requires urgent action from the government.
Asqar Toibaev, a representative from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, noted the need to strengthen psychology curricula in universities. Elmira Älieva, chief expert of the Örken National Scientific-Practical Institute, proposed raising the status of school psychologists to protect children’s psychological well-being.
According to the shared opinion of the experts, psychological well-being is not only an indicator of individual health but also of societal stability. Therefore, it is essential for government bodies, the scientific community, and civil society to coordinate their efforts to raise psychological awareness and ensure accessible support services.
The proposals developed during the discussion may serve as the foundation for the future Law on Psychological Assistance.
