Mental health and society in a context of crisis

Mental health and society in a context of crisis: Perspectives, opportunities, and proposals
Jordi Gol Memorial

On June 6, 7, and 8, the 5th Catalan Mental Health Congress took place at CosmoCaixa in Barcelona, under the title: “”MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIETY IN A CONTEXT OF CRISIS: PERSPECTIVES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND PROPOSALS" – JORDI GOL MEMORIAL. It brought together nearly 400 participants, mainly professionals in the fields of mental health, primary healthcare, and basic primary social services. According to the results obtained from the evaluation survey, the level of interventions and content of the congress, and its impact in the media (press, radio, and TV), we can state that the Congress was a success. It allowed us to deepen our understanding of the FCCSM's foundational principles: interprofessionality, interdisciplinarity, openness to social and cultural forces, commitment to improving citizens' health, responsiveness to emerging demands and needs related to mental health in the individual, family, and social context, etc. In particular, the Congress enabled us to analyze the repercussions of the crisis on mental health and the professional and citizen responses in this context.

In this regard, some of The reflections and proposals that emerge from the Congress are:

1. Social determinants clearly influence population health.
2. The current crisis context has repercussions on the population's mental health.
3. Now more than ever, answers are needed from a community mental health perspective.
4. We must avoid the risk and the tendency towards the medicalization of the suffering experienced by many citizens.
5. The role of social movements has become key and will need to be strengthened and fully incorporated into intervention strategies.
6. The ethical dimension of professionals and institutions is fundamental in a context of crisis like the current one.
7. Users, families, professionals, and citizens in general must participate in the design of new proposals that are necessary and urgent to improve, through a public service of universal access, dignified and effective care for the mental health problems in our society.

Despite this very positive initial assessment, it is also necessary to engage in self-criticism, identify shortcomings, correct errors, and evaluate the direction of upcoming initiatives and projects to be developed. In this regard, Let's advance some initial proposals:

1. Drafting conclusions and recommendations by each of the Congress Working Groups.
2. Elaboration of a “Barcelona Declaration 2013 – 5th CCSM,” of a broader nature, referring to the current state and perspectives of mental health in the present situation.
3. Call for a Post-Congress Workshop on “Crisis, Mental Health, and Social Policies” with the potential participation of Joan Benach, Carme Borrell, Prof. Gómez Beneito, among others.
4. Development of a European-level, multicenter study project, led by Gianni Tognoni, on the influence of the economy on health (topic to be confirmed).
5. Establishment, continuation, and/or remodeling of different working groups within the framework of the FCCSM (Community Mental Health, GIE, among others).
6. Organization of an event on “Empowerment and Anti-Stigma,” in conjunction with the presentation of the novel titled “El Escritofrénico. A Treatise on the Healing of Psychosis” by Raul Velasco, a member of the FCCSM Thinkers Group and Radio Nikosia.

As in other editions, we hope that this 5th Congress will enable, as its title already suggested, new “PERSPECTIVES, OPPORTUNITIES AND PROPOSALS”!

We encourage you to participate directly, whether by supporting our Foundation by becoming Friends, joining existing working groups within the FCCSM, making your presence felt through the virtual spaces we have opened online, or by approaching us directly with initiatives and proposals. Let's do it!