{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T00:41:01Z","timestamp":1759970461184,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759881600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychiatry"],"abstract":"<jats:p>As mental health challenges grow globally, innovative interventions are being sought. Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) offers a promising alternative to traditional psychotherapy\u2014reducing costs, improving accessibility, and addressing healthcare worker shortages in the public sector\u2014essential for Latvia, where many people live in rural areas, have limited income and there is a lack of mental health specialists, making it difficult for patients to access psychological support. In 2024, Latvia launched its first government-funded iCBT pilot. This study introduces the framework and implementation strategy of the Latvian iCBT pilot, done in collaboration with Finland\u2019s HUS and the HealthFox platform. The program targets young adults from the age of 18 to 25 with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, based on validated clinical thresholds (PHQ-9 &amp;gt;8, GAD-7 &amp;gt;10). The population clinical symptoms were designed similarly to previous experience with iCBT evaluated in Finland. The structured therapy, delivered through a mobile app, includes weekly guided sessions, personalized therapist feedback, and interactive digital modules. This article examines the architecture of the pilot\u2014its referral system, therapy modules, data collection process, and therapist responsibilities. Also, it is looking at it within broader global evidence on iCBT efficacy, dropout rates, and patient satisfaction.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2025.1657309","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T10:31:37Z","timestamp":1759919497000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Introducing internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy in the Latvian government-funded mental health sector"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Ieva","family":"Kince-Laus","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Liene","family":"Sile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jurijs","family":"Novickis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elizabete","family":"Romanovska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Liene","family":"Dambi\u0146a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maris","family":"Taube","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","volume-title":"Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders","author":"Beck","year":"1976"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1503\/cmaj.150007","article-title":"Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness","volume":"188","author":"Gratzer","year":"2016","journal-title":"Can Med Assoc J"},{"key":"B3","unstructured":"Mental health care organisation improvement plan 2023\u20132025\n          \n          \n          \n          2022"},{"key":"B4","unstructured":"Latvia: country health profile 2023\n          \n          \n          \n          2023"},{"key":"B5","unstructured":"Procedures for the organisation of and payment for health care services\n          \n          \n          \n          2018"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12991-020-00276-5","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of mental disorders in the nationwide primary care population in Latvia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"19","author":"Rancans","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann Gen Psychiatry"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e27","DOI":"10.1017\/S1754470X22000216","article-title":"Effective delivery of digital CBT: A service evaluation exploring outcomes of young people who completed video\u2212conferencing therapy","volume":"15","author":"Porter","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cogn Behav Therapist"},{"key":"B8","volume-title":"Advances in digital CBT: where are we now, and where next","author":"Thew","year":"2022"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1586\/14737175.2015.1125783","article-title":"Internet\u2212supported versus face\u2212to\u2212face cognitive behavior therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta\u2212analysis","volume":"16","author":"Andersson","year":"2016","journal-title":"Expert Rev Neurother"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1\u221218","DOI":"10.1080\/16506073.2017.1401115","article-title":"Internet-based vs. face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy for psychiatric and somatic disorders: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"47","author":"Andersson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cogn Behav Ther"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brat.2015.11.006","article-title":"Internet\u2212delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for children with anxiety disorders: a randomised controlled trial. 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