Regional Network for Mental Health Research in Latin America — RedeAmerica

Overview

Within Latin American cities, people with severe mental disorders are a vulnerable population whose lives are often characterized by extreme poverty, social exclusion from education, employment, and participation in civil society, multiple traumas including violence and abuse, reduced access to health care, and high mortality rates. The equitable development endorsed by international conventions requires the inclusion of this vulnerable population in the benefits of development and the protection of their civil and human rights. The overarching objective of the RedeAmericas hub is to improve the condition of this vulnerable group. The team envisions an integrated system of primary care and secondary mental health services for individuals with severe mental, disorders tailored to the distinctive context of the urban areas of Latin America. The long-term goal is to improve health services for people with severe mental disorders until they are equivalent to the best health services offered to people with highly prioritized general health conditions.

Project website: www.redeamericas.org