III Central American Conference on Mental Health and Human Rights

The Central American Mental Health Network held the III Central American Conference on Mental Health and Human Rights in Panama City, November 7-10.The main objective was to strengthen the Network's member associations and the regional health systems through the exchange of ideas, experiences and working models to learn about the impact reached by each of the ten associations - representing Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama - in the last 3 years.

All organizations confirmed the advances observed at the organizational, advocacy, awareness and educational levels through the art and recovery model for users, and the family-to-family model for caregivers.It is estimated that the network impacted 320 people directly and 1280 indirectly, in the last two years.

At the conceptual and methodological levels, progress was made with the new design of the Psychoeducational and self-help manual from family to family (for caregivers) and the Art and Recovery Guide (for users).In terms of research, scientific evidence was presented on the contribution of the family-to-family model to improving the living conditions of people with mental disabilities and their families.

This event helped strengthen ties and alliances between civil society organizations and official institutions.It allowed the continuity of the commitments undertaken in the first two conferences, such as working to improve the availability and access to psychotropic drugs at all care levels and to increase mental health budgets.

The Conference was possible thanks to ANFAPEEM, Panama's association of users and families, as well as to the other member associations.Also thanks to the participation of PAHO/WHO, through the Subregional Advisor on Mental Health for Central America and the Caribbean, Dr. Carmen Martínez;of Panama's National Disability Secretariat (SENADIS);of Dr. Rubén Dávila, Mental Health Director of the Bluefields Region's RACS / CAPS / SILAIS in Nicaragua;of Dr. Francisco Golcher, Director of Costa Rica's Mental Health Technical Secretariat;of Dr. Ricardo Goti, Panama's Mental Health Chief, Ministry of Health;and thanks to the cooperation of the Interamerican Foundation and CHHD (Center for Health and Human Development).