The mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, and the councillor for Social Action, Charín González, along with specialists from the Municipal Institute of Social Care (IMAS), have urged the Mental Health department of the Canary Islands Government for “a resolution regarding homeless individuals suffering from mental health issues, which are exacerbating serious problems with local residents, businesses, restaurants, and ultimately the city itself. Without sufficient resources to address this matter, particularly since it falls outside our municipal jurisdiction,” as clarified by the councillor.
Bermúdez emphasised that “this is a situation that is deteriorating, as more homeless individuals with such conditions are arriving, the majority of whom do not originate from Santa Cruz, complicating our efforts to locate them.” He expressed that “it is entwined with familial connections.” He further noted that “despite lacking expertise or qualifications in mental health, we comprehend that a significant proportion of these severe behaviours necessitate proper treatment. While we have amplified the necessary resources to manage these cases and have identified them, we remain uncertain about how to handle this predicament.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Charín González remarked that “what we require is assistance with psychiatric medical reports to present to the Prosecutor’s Office and intervene in these serious cases we have concerning homeless individuals with mental disorders.” She elaborated, stating, “We have identified these individuals, totalling 36 cases, with 13 classified as very serious. Ultimately, we are requesting enhanced action and coordination from those of us dealing with these issues on a daily basis.”
In this context, the General Director of Mental Health, Fernando Gómez-Pamo, described that “the situation concerning homeless individuals with mental health issues is often compounded by other problems, such as alcohol dependency and various addictions.” He underscored that “collaboration and coordination with municipal support services is crucial, particularly in Santa Cruz, with the resources provided by the Assertive Community Team (ECA), which offers support to those affected by mental disorders wherever it is required. It is evident that the need for increased coordination is apparent.”
Gómez-Pamo highlighted that “one of the challenges is that a significant percentage of homeless individuals with these disorders do not wish to seek treatment, and we cannot compel them to accept care, even for mental health issues, unless they exhibit behaviour that poses a danger to themselves or others.”
During the virtual meeting convened by the City Council, the councillor clarified that “the challenge lies in the fact that the resources we possess, which we augment annually, are evidently inadequate. Moreover, there are homeless individuals who are admitted to hospital for mental health crises and are discharged without even notifying us, making it clear that there are insufficient resources for facilities accommodating individuals with dual diagnoses, which is not within our municipal authority. We need assistance with mental health medical reports so that we can escalate serious cases to the Prosecutor’s Office.”
The capital city councillor: “We are at the limit”
The mayor of the capital asserted that “we cannot persist in this situation, where residents question why we are not taking action to resolve it. This is a reasonable demand, as our duty is to either modify or overhaul a system, which evidently, is ineffective. “We are at the limit.”
