Government will strengthen attention
The Minister of Social Development, Martín Lema, announced the main lines of action to strengthen the work in mental health that this portfolio will develop together with that of Public Health. They will target people living on the streets, discharged from the penitentiary system and adolescents, the chief reported during the inauguration of a 24-hour center for single-parent families headed by women and dependent minors.
Lema reported that on Thursday the 16th a meeting was held with the Minister and the Undersecretary of Public Health, Karina Rando and José Luis Satdjian, respectively, for a “set-up” between the teams of both portfolios.
He explained that in the “Neither silence nor taboo” campaign, carried out by the National Youth Institute (INJU), more than 14,000 young people participated in 460 workshops that took place during 2022. He announced that, due to the success of the plan, it was defined that this year be a program. “It will have a much greater scope and dimension,” said Lema, adding that it will focus on mental health and suicide prevention among young people.
In addition, he argued that the Ministry of Social Development (Mides) continues to work on mental health and addictions, which affect people who are released and those who are on the streets. In this sense, he pointed out that in 2023 the Secretary of State will have more than 600 places for this population, of which 365 are in centers with 24-hour response, 220 at the day door and 150 in outpatient care. “An answer is being given to something that we always insist on and have emphasized, which is addressing the causes,” he said.
Lema spoke at a press conference, after touring the facilities of the new device, located in the Pocitos area, together with the undersecretary of that portfolio, Andrea Brugman, and the national director of Social Protection, Fernanda Auersperg.
The center has capacity for 20 people, and the first families will enter this Friday the 17th, said the minister. He added that it provides a response to homeless women with dependent minors and who are very close to full autonomy. “In this place, they will have the corresponding containment and follow-up in each case to give that final push, for that much-needed autonomy,” he said.
The headquarters includes 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 multi-use spaces and a game room. In addition, it incorporates a multidisciplinary team, made up of a coordinator, psychologist, social worker and educators.
With these devices, an attempt is made to end the activity of hotels as service points. During this administration, 23 24-hour centers for women with dependent minors and two for admission and referral were installed.
