The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco today highlighted the fundamental role of municipalities in the promotion and care of mental health. He did so at the closing of the Forum ‘A mental health under focus’ organized by the City of Ames (A Coruña) and La Voz de Galicia. In this forum, Pedro Blanco ratified the Government’s commitment to these ailments through the Mental Health Action Plan 2022-2024, within the framework of the Recovery Plan, and pointed out that this Plan was translated in Galicia in 5.6 million euros transferred to the Xunta for mental health policies.
Within this Mental Health Action Plan, the delegate highlighted the implementation of line 024 for suicide prevention, a resource that since its creation has served more than 160,000 calls. “Only last October more than 400 Galicians and Galicians went to the 024 service through the phone or chat, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year”, adding that they are “figures that show the urgency of acting from prevention, education and integral support”, he said.
During his speech, the delegate stressed that “mental health is a collective commitment that requires the involvement of the whole society”, valuing the synergies between the different institutions to advance in effective public policies.
Blanco, accompanied by the Mayor of Ames, Blas García, placed mental health as a priority of the Government of Spain, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, and highlighted the progress achieved during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU to consolidate a common European framework in this matter. In this commitment, he added the creation a year ago now of a Mental Health Commissioner, to treat mental illness from a social perspective.
A transversal policy
The delegate insisted that the Government of Spain faces the protection of mental health as a transversal policy and that it must respond to structural and also punctual needs. As a sign of this commitment, she said, the Minister of Health presents today in Valencia a mental health plan for the population affected by the dana, to give continuity to the means and resources that were made available from the first days to the people of these areas.
With regard to other areas of action, the delegate cited education, where the Government has an Educational Emotional Welfare Program that develops together with the Autonomous Communities, and sport, especially of the elite, an area that is often invisible.