THE CITIZEN COUNCIL REINFORCES ATTENTION OFFERED REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE PANDEMIC

The organization has helped 13 thousand 756 people for emotional containment related with family or relationship problems, emotional situations, grief and violence.  

In order to counteract the effects on mental health caused by confinement, during the pandemic for COVID-19, the Citizen Council for Safety and Justice in Mexico City reinforced attentions offered regarding emotional containment.

In the wake of the Mental Health World Date celebrated on October 10^th, the organization presented a report about the services of psychological counseling it offers in Mexico and other countries, where it helped 13 thousand 756 people, from February 28^th to October 5^th; 64% women and 36% men.

The President of the Citizen Council, Salvador Guerrero Chipres, informed in press conference that the pandemic for COVID-19 triggered an increase in attentions, mainly during May, June and August.

“The pandemic deepened and extended the need for attention, which was given thanks to our coordination with companies, other organizations and authorities,” he said.

The reasons why citizens communicate include, mainly: 44.1% family or couples problems, 35% emotional situations, 14.7% alterations due to the pandemic, 1.8% grief and 1.4% violence.

Also, 235 people received digital therapy, representing 1,632 hours of attention, and they offered 27 workshops of emotional containment to 915 workers from seven companies and different institutions.

During the conversation they pointed out the alliances with Netflix and Facebook, two companies that included the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat in WhatsApp 55 5533-5533 on their platforms about suicide prevention and mental health during confinement.

Among the study’s data, Mexico City offered 32.8% of the attentions and the mayoralties with the greatest number of reports were Iztapalapa, Gustavo A. Madero and Cuauhtemoc.

The Citizen Council crossed borders because they offered attention to people from the United States, Spain, Portugal, Guatemala, Venezuela and Peru through the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat.

Around 64% of the reports were received mainly through the Safety Line and 34.2% through the Trustworthy Chat via WhatsApp. The remaining 1.91% have been received through other channels or in person at the Council’s seat in Iztapalapa and the attention centers at the Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board at bus terminals.

The Citizen Council has a team that’s made up by 106 psychologists who offer attention 24/7 in different shifts. All services are free.