The president of Parliament, Astrid Pérez, views an autonomous law as “urgent” and acknowledges that healthcare resources are “inadequate”.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 10th October (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Canary Islands Mental Health Federation, Cristina Acosta, expressed concerns this Thursday regarding the “precariousness” of employment experienced by individuals with mental health issues, prompting her to urge companies to “raise awareness”.
At the commencement of the conference ‘Work and mental health, a fundamental link’, she emphasised the “ambivalent reality” of the workplace, highlighting that while work is “essential” for the development, recovery and social integration of individuals, precariousness and “discrimination” often “exacerbate” these challenges.
“Statistics indicate that individuals with mental health issues encounter greater barriers when seeking employment, and when they do secure jobs, they frequently do so under unhealthy conditions,” she pointed out.
She insisted that employment policies must encompass all possible mechanisms to ensure “decent conditions” and foster “safe and inclusive” work environments, promoting the hiring of individuals facing mental health challenges and guaranteeing “decent and quality employment”.
Acosta also remarked that in light of ‘World Mental Health Day’, there exists an “opportunity” to further the fight for fundamental rights, as there remains a lack of “specific legislation”.
Consequently, she has called for measures including the elimination of coercion, “excessive medication”, and physical restraints in medical settings, as well as a shift from institutionalisation to community care.
“Let us advocate for mental health through accessible public care, ensuring that everyone, regardless of the island on which we reside, receives quality care,” she stated.
In her view, this necessitates an increase in financial resources for healthcare and a rise in the number of specialised professionals in psychology, psychiatry, health nursing, and primary care, alongside enhancements in socio-health coordination systems.
She further contended that it is “necessary” to separate mental health from disability within the General Directorate of Disability of the Government of the Canary Islands to allow for the development and better alignment of specific programmes, resources, and policies.
The federation’s president has also advocated for “budgetary stability” to ensure the sustainability of organisations, as they often undertake “financial risks” to initiate programmes and projects. “It is crucial that aid and subsidies are confirmed in advance,” she clarified.
Acosta highlighted the importance of promoting early detection of mental health issues within schools and providing training for educators on preventing bullying, suicide, and addictions.
“Let us not forget that anyone can experience a mental health challenge,” she added. “Let us strive for the prevention and promotion of mental health for all, from the youngest to our elders. Additionally, let us encourage the active social participation of women with mental health issues, ensuring their access to resources and services while safeguarding them from violence.”
She also called for individuals with mental health challenges to “be at the centre of decisions” while recognising the “crucial role” of families, who have been the “true drivers” of the associative movement.
“They are the ones who care for us, support us, and advocate for a better quality of life for their loved ones,” she emphasised.
MUCH WORK REMAINS
The president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez, termed it “urgent and a priority” to pass a specific mental health law in the islands, noting that only four autonomous communities possess such legislation thus far, despite the archipelago having a high prevalence of mental health issues, with 518.5 cases per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the national average of 331.
“The data underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive law addressing mental health issues,” she remarked.
Pérez acknowledged that there is “much work to be done” from health, social, and regulatory perspectives and has called for an increase in health and therapeutic resources, indicating they are “insufficient”, with only 678 professionals in the SCS catering to over 71,000 individuals last year.
Pérez praised the establishment of the General Directorate of Mental Health, citing it as an “advance and improvement that must be consolidated” and urged the development of new labour regulations to ensure that individuals with mental illness have a “distinct relationship” with their jobs, as it is “undeniable” that a “full working life” enhances their health.
However, she noted that there is now “more sensitivity” around the issue. “Twenty years ago, the mentally ill were viewed negatively, and psychologists and psychiatrists were considered merely ‘shrinks’,” she explained, attesting to the improvements in social pedagogy and heightened awareness surrounding mental health.
