Interprofessional education and Mental Health Services on the context of SUS: study about the insertion of graduates of the Course of Occupational Therapy - FMUSP

Abstract

The implementation of mental health services network implies in a complex process, which places demands to the undergraduate education. The course of Occupational Therapy of FMUSP implemented curricular changes, considering the education of professionals compromised and able to comprehend and deal with theoretical and technical demands of the psychosocial rehabilitation of people with mental disorders. OBJECTIVES: to know, characterize and analyze the insertion of graduates working at services and/or projects of mental health in the context of SUS and to analyze the adequacy between the undergraduate education and the demands to the professional practice placed by the new services and/or projects of mental health. METHOD: Qualitative research based in ethnomethodological procedures consisted at the realization of focus groups, during 2009' second half, with graduates working at public services of mental health. RESULTS: data show the graduates start working at mental health services during the first 6 months after graduation; search for post graduation courses; experience great turnover of professionals in new services; report heterogeneity related to the services organization, work process, structure, management and care objectives; are called to perform tasks of planning and management without experience and maturity; report the implantation of services without any educational and managerial consistent process; face a scenario full of technical and theoretical conflicts that express difficulties at the changing process in the field of mental health. CONCLUSIONS: new scenarios demand new professional competencies, which are not provided by the undergraduate education, especially those related to primary care, chemical dependency and alcoholism. There is a lack of education to prepare to team work and to services management and modeling. The new professionals need institutional support, once they are the protagonists of the proposed changes by the Mental Health Policy.