The Governing Council has taken cognizance of the actions carried out by the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs in matters of mental healthcoinciding with the commemoration of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated every October 10. The actions undertaken, from the expansion of infrastructure to the training of professionals and the creation of new specialized services, constitute a significant advance in the attention to mental health problems in the region and show the commitment of the Andalusian Government to improving the mental health services and the prevention of suicidal behavior.
The comprehensive and collaborative approach that guides all these actions ensures that the Andalusian population has access to quality, equitable and humane health care. In this way, Andalusia is positioned as one of the regions most committed to improving the mental health and well-being of its citizens.
In terms of investments and infrastructure, the Andalusian Infrastructure Plan for Mental Health has had a budget of 7,090,548.60 euros in 2023 and a similar amount for 2024. Thus, 21 projects have been presented, some of which are still being implemented, and in which the most vulnerable groups have been taken into account. and especially to the child-adolescent population.
The development of Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Addictions of Andalusia (PESMAA) It has been one of the most important milestones of the last year. The formulation of this plan, approved in March 2023, establishes the lines of action for the coming years, with a comprehensive and equitable approach, which places special emphasis on the humanization of assistance and the digitalization of services. During the last year, several phases of developing the PESMAA have been carried out, including a preliminary situation diagnosis and the collection of information through focus groups with mental health professionals and users. This participatory approach has made it possible to identify the main needs of the system and establish the foundations for more people-centered care, especially in the most vulnerable groups.
Furthermore, there has been an increase in the number of Mental Health Clinical Management Units (UGCSM)going from 26 to 27 units, which has allowed us to expand the coverage of mental health services throughout the Andalusian territory. Currently, more than 2,800 professionals provide care in the 153 mental health devices available in Andalusia, ensuring a faster and more efficient response.
In parallel, infrastructure dedicated to child and adolescent mental health has been reinforced. Thus, new units have been opened Brief Mental Health Hospitalization for Childhood and Adolescence at the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital in Seville and at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, and the opening of new units is planned at the Regional Hospital of Málaga and at the UGCSM of Campo de Gibraltar. These units provide adequate space for the intensive treatment of minors with serious mental disorders, offering comprehensive and specialized care.
Likewise, attention has improved in Community Mental Health Units (USMC), with the inclusion of separate waiting rooms for minors in 65 of the 79 existing units. This advance has allowed minors to receive treatment more appropriate to their needs, avoiding mixing with adults in waiting spaces. Likewise, work continues to implement this type of spaces in those units where it has not yet been possible due to structural problems.
As for the hospital carethe provision of the public service of complementary healthcare to users of the Andalusian Health Service of 50 medium-stay beds for adolescents with serious mental disorders, distributed throughout Andalusia, has begun. This measure guarantees that adolescents between 12 and 18 years old with long-term hospitalization needs receive the necessary care. This contracting will be carried out through the SAS, with an offer of 36,500 hospital stays for adolescents with mental disorders. Patients may be referred from Mental Health Clinical Management units linked to public health centers, ensuring continuity of care and reducing inequalities in access to these specialized services.
The importance of training
In matters of trainingsignificant progress has been achieved with the accreditation of two UGCSM as Multiprofessional Teaching units, which has allowed an increase in the number of places for specialized health training in areas such as nursing and clinical psychology. This measure responds to the need to have more trained professionals to serve a population that increasingly demands mental health services.
Of special relevance is also the Andalusian Public Foundation for the Social Integration of People with Mental Illness (Faisem)which develops an important network of services throughout Andalusia and whose objective is the social inclusion and recovery of people with serious mental health problems. These programs are complementary to health care and cover residential needs, day programs, access to employment, vocational training, sports and cultural activities and the fight against the stigma and discrimination suffered by these people and their families.
The Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs is promoting new structures, more training and greater financing in Faisem’s action plans. This progress is reflected in an increase in the coverage of places in all programs. The Employment and Vocational Training Program stands out, which has registered important progress, with a total of 1,340 hires in the last year, of which 562 have been made in ordinary companies and 149 in the public sector. The business group UNEIspecialized in the labor integration of people with disabilities, has continued its expansion, exceeding 1,300 workers, 85% of whom have some disability and more than 50% suffer from some type of mental disorder.
Likewise, it has also promoted the collaboration between mental health professionals through digitization and the creation of shared virtual spaces. These initiatives allow professionals from different areas to work together, sharing knowledge and experiences, and reinforcing synergies between primary care, educational centers and mental health services. Through virtual meetings and the recording of joint clinical sessions, new forms of collaborative work are being promoted that optimize patient care.
It is important to highlight the joint activities carried out with the mental health association movement. During the aforementioned period, monthly meetings have been held and the participation of the associations in the design of the programs has been achieved, as well as the dissemination of information about them in the centers, which facilitates access for patients that enhance the processes. recovery. We must continue to promote the dissemination of associations both at the central and local level and also the celebration of conferences with the participation of patients and relatives.
Finally, among the most relevant actions is the development of the Suicidal Behavior Prevention Program in Andalusia 2023-2026introduced in 2023, which aims to reduce the incidence and impact of suicide in the region. This program expands the lines of action of the previous Action Plan, with a medium and long-term focus. One of the most important actions has been the creation of the Suicide Risk Code, a protocol that allows early detection and addressing of suicidal risk, ensuring continuity of care through mental health services.
Along with this protocol, two guides have been published that have been very well received, both by health professionals and affected family members. The first of them, the self-help guide ‘How to cope with grief?’, provides support tools for those who have lost a loved one to suicide, while the second, the ‘Guide for health professionals in grieving situations’is designed to improve the intervention of health professionals in these cases. Both guides are part of the set of actions included in the program, which also covers specific activities to alleviate the pain of affected families, as well as a catalog of training for mental health professionals and the development of lines of research in this field.
Suicide prevention has gained special relevance in the educational field, where the Ministry has developed specific measures for adolescents. In October 2023, in collaboration with the ministries of Educational Development and Vocational Training and Social Inclusion, Youth, Families and Equality, the Protocol for action in educational centers to prevent the risk of suicidal behavior or self-harm among students was approved. This protocol establishes a series of actions to follow when suicidal or self-harming behaviors, whether suicidal ideation or behavior, are detected in the school environment. The implementation of this protocol seeks to guarantee a safe environment for students, through individualized monitoring plans and the possibility of referral to health services when necessary.
Furthermore, this protocol is complemented with the ‘Guide for preventing the risk of suicidal behavior or self-harm in students’published by the Ministry of Educational Development and Vocational Training, which together with the aforementioned protocol configures a comprehensive approach to address this problem in educational centers. Since the 2023-2024 school year, this set of measures has been implemented, which has had the participation of the provincial advisory and coordination commissions, in which mental health services collaborate.
The training of educational and health personnel has been key to the success of these measures. The 411 nurse representatives from educational centers have received specific training on suicide prevention and the detection of depression in adolescents. These nurses play a crucial role as a liaison between the centers and primary care, helping to create a more robust support network for students who are at risk. The training of educational professionals has also been a central component, ensuring that guidance teams and teaching staff can act preventively in the event of any alarm signal.