The psychiatric reform and the assistance offered by professionals working in a substitutive mental health service

Abstract

This is a qualitative study that aims to analyze the influence of the Psychiatric Reform on the assistance offered by professionals working in a substitutive mental health service in Belo Horizonte. The case study method was used as a research strategy. Data were collected by applying a semi-structured interview to professionals from different services. The content analysis technique was used for assessing data. Data saturation was used as a criterion to end the interviews, which occurred in the thirteenth interview. Data analysis showed that care given to mentally ill patients is particularly important and that interdisciplinary work is crucial to handle the complexity of psychiatric suffering. Based on the Psychiatric Reform principles, these professionals tried to design a new way of thinking about mental illness. We could notice an attempt to break with the psychiatric hospital way of dealing with mental illness and an attempt to create a more sensitive health worker, with an integrated perspective when offering assistance to the patient. We could also notice the satisfaction of the professionals in belonging to an articulated service. The participants shared the idea that it is necessary to recognize actions that instigate prejudice and exclusion of people with psychiatric suffering and seek new ways of assistance.