November 14, 2017 -- Community rehabilitation services for patients with mental disorders will cover 80 percent of China's county-level regions by 2025, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs Monday.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs, together with the Ministry of Finance, the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the China Disabled Persons' Federation issued the guideline on the development of community rehabilitation services.

About 60 percent of patients at home are expected to receive rehabilitation services in communities by 2025, according to the guideline.

Between 2012 and 2016, the number of registered patients with severe mental illnesses nationwide increased from 3.08 million to 5.4 million, according to a public health white paper issued in September.

The guideline asks the increase of government expenditure, encourages private investment and calls for establishing more service agencies to provide sufficient services for patients with mental disorders.