The mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, from the Canarian Coalition, has called upon the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands this Sunday to find a solution for individuals experiencing mental health issues and homelessness within the municipality, remarking that it is a matter that “surpasses municipal authorities.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the Santa Cruz City Council reported that a meeting was held with Health officials due to the “serious challenges of coexistence with residents, businesses, and restaurants, ultimately impacting the city, without having sufficient resources to tackle this situation,” asserted the municipal councillor, who believes the resolution should come from the autonomous community rather than the local government he leads.
The mayor contends that it is an issue “that is deteriorating, as more homeless individuals with such conditions are arriving, most of whom are not originally from Santa Cruz, making it increasingly difficult to engage with them.” “They tend to establish ties with family members.”
“We recognise that a significant portion of these severe behaviours requires appropriate treatment and, although we have increased the necessary resources to support them and have identified those in need, we do not have a strategy to manage this situation,” acknowledged Bermúdez.
The Director-General of Mental Health, Fernando Gómez-Pamo, has pointed out that “the situation of homeless individuals with mental disorders is often compounded by other issues, such as alcohol dependency, fundamentally, and other addictions.” Gómez-Pamo emphasised that one major challenge is that a significant percentage of homeless individuals suffering from these conditions are reluctant to seek treatment and cannot be compelled to do so.
“You cannot coerce someone into treatment, even for mental health, unless they exhibit behaviour that poses a risk to themselves or others,” he lamented.
The Councillor for Social Services, Rosario González, has stated that the City Council requires assistance with mental health assessments to present to the Prosecutor’s Office and intervene in critical cases. González explained that “we have already identified these individuals, totalling 36, of which 13 are in very serious conditions. Therefore, we are requesting greater action and coordination with those who confront these issues daily; supporting reports from the health professionals would also be extremely beneficial.”
Bermúdez has suggested that “a form of triage be implemented in the emergency department to assess the most acute cases and provide distinct and more immediate treatments.”
“The aim would be to distinguish the most severe mental disorders, those that cause issues for coexistence and for the individuals themselves, and to act according to their priorities to achieve better results in the community, ensuring they do not go untreated while awaiting a more comprehensive resolution,” he summarised.
Of the total number of homeless individuals in Tenerife (approximately 2,300, based on Cáritas data), 39.14% reside in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with 885 cases reported in July 2024, a statistic which can be attributed to the municipality being one of the few on the island that possesses residential facilities to support these individuals.
During a press conference held in July at the Island Council, the secretary-general of Cáritas in Tenerife, Ricardo Iglesias, emphasised that despite the seeming decline in figures compared to the previous year, the reality is that most individuals in that situation continue to face the same challenges, thus their circumstances have not improved, and they still lack appropriate institutional response and support. The conclusion is clear: homelessness is becoming chronic.
