In the City of Buenos Aires there are two sites that are dedicated to addressing problems related to mental health: Mental Health Center No. 1 and No. 3. These institutions play a fundamental role because they are a public service, dependent on the local government, and because they provide different specialized outpatient services.
“The most prevalent mental health problems are anxiety, depression, suicide attempts and developmental disorders.”
The two centers differ from monovalent hospitals due to their outpatient nature. Although citizens residing in surrounding areas attend, they also receive referrals of complex cases from other institutions.
The head of Unit of Center No. 1, Patricia Alvarez Zuninospoke with The Auditor.info about the importance of these spaces. “We are not closed centers that only operate by referral, but rather we are close to the neighbors,” he said, adding that the centers have day hospitals for adults and children, “a service that is scarce in the City.”
According to Álvarez, in recent years there has been a marked increase in queries linked to domestic violence and child sexual abuse, which represented “between 30 and 40% of all consultations.”
In this area, the specialist explained that “the most prevalent mental health problems are anxiety, depression, suicide attempts and developmental disorders”.
The specialist highlights the importance of maintaining the mental health specificity of these centers, especially given the closure of hospital services during the pandemic.
In addition, he explained that the centers’ work teams are interdisciplinary and are made up of psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists, social workers, and nurses. In the institutions they develop community activities open to the general public that promote social inclusion. “Articulation with other sectors such as justice and education is key”he claimed.
Finally, the head of the Unit warns about the increase in gambling among children and adolescents, a problem that is already being addressed by the current government.
Mental Health Centers in the City
- CSM No. 1, located in Manuela Pedraza 1558. Núñez. Tphone: 011 4702-7489
- CSM Nº 3, located at Córdoba 3120. Balvanera. Phone: 011 3723-0224
CABA has a 24-hour telephone line available for anyone who requires help with the problem or would like to request information. Mental Health Responds: 0800-333-1665.
With a focus on mental health
Mental health is a problem that worries and from various spaces they deal with addressing it. Such is the case of the educational program promoted by Fundación Éforo, Neighborhood Schoolwhich seeks to generate awareness and citizen participation among 4th year students from different secondary schools.
In this year’s edition, the students prepared a document with proposals to improve public policies on mental health and will present it on July 3 at the Porteña Legislature before various officials.
