COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH:

Towards emancipatory practices

On January 26, 2024, the’11th Network in Debate Session organized by the Catalan Congress of Mental Health Foundation and the Catalan Association of Mental Health Professionals – AEN Catalonia.

L’Catalan Association of Mental Health Professionals (AEN-Catalonia) I love Catalan Congress of Mental Health Foundation (FCCSM) Since 2005, they have organized the “La Xarxa a Debat” (The Network in Debate) conferences, and in each edition, the conferences analyze some of the most interesting topics regarding mental healthcare, from the perspective of professionals working within the public network.

This 11th day has served to debate and reflect on key aspects of mental health and the importance of collaboration between professionals and first-person voices. Albert Mariné ha destacat que «Without community ties, there is no mental health«.

Community mental health has been the central axis of the debate where it has been defined as a cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaborative project. Susana Brignoni ha destacat que «s’ha de procurar que els infants i joves s’apropiïn d’allò que els hi succeeix i puguin trobar un nom propi i singular a allò que els fa patir». Per això, ha remarcat Brignoni, «spaces for hospitality and meeting. Per no patologitzar la vida quotidiana i donar als infants l’oportunitat d’equivocar-se i tornar-se a aixecar».

The eleventh "Network in Debate" session has highlighted the importance of a group perspective in community mental health and the need to create connections, as well as to have time and spaces for listening, to foster the construction of a reality beyond diagnostic categories.

>>>Consult the program

The Conference featured the following speakers:

Specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Master in Public Health from the University of Barcelona, and Doctor of Health and Life Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University. Director of the Public Health Observatory of the Barcelona Public Health Agency and Associate Professor at Pompeu Fabra University and Johns Hopkins University. She has published over 100 scientific articles in indexed journals, as well as other popular science articles, and is the author of books and book chapters. Her main research line is health inequalities, particularly in mental health, and their socioeconomic determinants.

Director of the Nou Barris Foundation for Mental Health in Barcelona. Clinical supervisor of teams in the mental, social, and educational health network. Clinical Psychologist from the University of Buenos Aires, Psychoanalyst (ELP-AMP), and Master in Humanities from the Open University of Catalonia. Lecturer at FLACSO Argentina (Postgraduate in Psychoanalysis and Socio-educational Practices), Coordinator of the Advanced Case Seminar for the Master's degree “Clinical Practice in Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology” (University of Barcelona), and Professor in the Postgraduate program in Collective Mental Health at Rovira i Virgili University. Author of several books and articles in specialized journals.
Licensed in Psychology from the University of Barcelona, and specialized in child and adolescent clinical psychology at ECPNA (School of Psychoanalytic Clinical Psychology with Children and Adolescents). Over 15 years of work experience in community action projects, from socio-educational intervention, neighborhood revitalization, and mental health.
Doctor of Anthropology of Medicine from Rovira i Virgili University. Currently, Serra Húnter Professor at URV, and visiting professor at Pompeu Fabra University. He coordinates the Master's Degree in Medical Anthropology and Global Health (URV-CSIC) and the Postgraduate Degree in Collective Mental Health (URV-FCCSM), of which he is also co-director. Founding member and driving force behind the Ràdio Nikosia experience. Member of various research groups in the field of Social and Medical Anthropology and Mental Health. International advisor to UNESCO and the UN on projects related to Collective Health and violence prevention for the Ministry of Education in Brazil. From Medical Anthropology and Applied or Implicated Anthropology, he works in areas linked to the intersections between social movements, epistemic injustice, re-subjectivation processes, and health.
European Doctor of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry from the Universities of Hamburg and Autonomous University of Barcelona. Professor and researcher at the University of Barcelona. Member of the Monitoring Commission of the Advisory Council on Mental Health and Addictions of the Generalitat de Catalunya. His research interests are focused on the analysis of awareness strategies for users and professionals in the field of mental health to improve communication between them, enhancing the participation of the former in services, and critical reflection and self-care of the latter.
Graduated in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona with a Master's degree in Psychosocial and Community Research and Intervention. Experience in prisons, gender, and homelessness, always from a feminist, intersectional, and social perspective. Currently part of the street outreach team at Arrels Fundació, providing holistic support to people experiencing homelessness, while also participating in community action and awareness-raising movements.
Medical degree from the University of Barcelona. Specialist in Family and Community Medicine. Work experience with urban and rural populations. Member of the community care reference group at CAP Horta, which works in network with local health professionals and residents to identify and support the health needs of the Horta, Carmel, and Font d'en Fargues neighborhoods. Master's degree in Comprehensive Palliative Care for People with Advanced Illnesses.

Degree in Psychology from the University of Barcelona. Accredited as a psychotherapist by the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA), and qualified as a Social Educator by the College of Social Educators of La Rioja. Training in psychoanalysis. Lecturer at the School of Psychoanalytic Clinic with Children and Adolescents (ECPNA). For over twenty years, he has worked in various services within the public community mental health network, initially as a social educator and therapeutic companion (Adult Day Hospital, Therapeutic Community, PSI) and later as a psychologist/psychotherapist (Adult Day Hospital, Adolescent Day Hospital, CSMIJ).

At the end of the conference, attendees were offered the opportunity to complete an evaluation survey to gauge their level of satisfaction and identify both strengths and areas for improvement for the next Xarxa a Debat conferences.

Consult the result of the survey

Images from the Day

Event Documentation

Organizing Committee

Mercè Borràs, Anna Carrió, Cristina Conejo, Francisco José Eiroa, Rosa Garcia, Maria Lomascolo, Albert Mariné, Esperanza Martin, Charo Ortiz, Marta Poll, Anna Robert, Elena Serrano, Jorge Tió

Organizers

Collaborating Entities

With the Support of