The Konsulta’m service has so far provided support for teenagers and young people. Last year saw the volume of support double, with the service handling over 1,500 visits. The new Konsulta’m +22 service came into operation in the districts of Sant Martí and Sant Andreu on 10 January and is set to reach six city districts in the first quarter of the year.
Besides the districts of Sant Martí and Sant Andreu, the first quarter of the year should see the service rolled out in the districts of Nou Barris, Horta-Guinardó, Sants-Montjuïc and Ciutat Vella. These six districts are home to more vulnerable collectives in terms of social and economic matters which, in turn, result in worse indicators for health and particularly mental health.
In an effort to reach people with the most difficulties in accessing mental health services, the Konsulta’m +22 service will work closely with professionals in the community who are in direct contact with people targeted by the programme. This includes working with social services, adult education centres, housing offices, labour insertion programmes, support offices to help people with administrative procedures and so on. As with the conventional Konsulta’m service, appointments are not required with the new service.
The Konsulta’m service started life as part of the Barcelona Mental Health Plan 2016-2022, the goal being to address emotional and psychological distress among people between the ages of 12 and 22, who need an immediate and agile specialised response. Psychological suffering has worsened among young people and adults alike because of the Covid-19 health crisis, and the focus needs to be not just on treatment, but also on the prevention and detection of symptoms.
Funded wholly by Barcelona City Council, the service has a team of professionals in psychology, labour and social education and community nursing. It is also linked to the Adult Mental Health Centres (CSMA) to be able to make referrals where this is required.