250 new mental health professionals to be employed in Valencian Community

THE government of the Valencian Community has announced its plan of action on “Mental Health, Drug Dependencies and Addictive Behaviours 2023-2026” at a press conference in the regional capital.

President of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig, announced the strategy which explains new policies such as the increase of staff dedicated to mental health, the creation of new outpatient and rehabilitation facilities and the creation of a specific employment plan for people with mental health issues.

In his unveiling of the plan, Puig explained that the question of mental health is “a common cause to the whole of the Valencian society”, and therefore has allocated 40 million euros to this specific challenge in the 2023 budget.

As reported by Información, money will include the hiring of 250 new mental health professionals, which Puig said “are already being incorporated”, a process that would expand in the coming years. There will also be the creation of four new outpatient facilities, at which people will be able to receive support for addictions and rehabilitation.

The strategy document, which has the slogan of “Temps de cuidar-se”, has been the result of “constructive and democratic dialogue and deliberation”, and is an “agreed strategy that will place mental health at the centre of the healthcare agenda”.

This comes after a process of citizen participation which included a meeting called in which 70 citizens, chosen by a random draw, were able to present their own personal experiences to those authoring the document. This was added to by a survey that received a total of 3,287 responses and asked Valencians about their views on mental health.

In recent years, students in cities such as Alicante have taken to the street to demand that the authorities take action to help combat the mental health crisis which affects young people, women, and the most vulnerable collectives.

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