[Teaching of mental health in Latin America]

The author contends that in order to meet Mental Health requirements in Latin American countries, an effort must be made in modifying the training of personnel, ranging from high ranking psychiatrists and specialists, to community leaders. He examines the current possibilities and needs and assesses the consequences of new training methods. Starting from a summary review of the three main models for Mental Health Programs: Mental Institution or Hospital, Mental Health Unit and Comprehensive Program, an evaluation is made of the many advantages of the latter. The training of personnel for the Comprehensive Program reflects its structure of delegations. The lower level, D5, is the whole population having any mental health risks. In order to prevent them, leaders at the D4 level must be trained, preferably among recovered patients, at the ratio one D4 for every 500 D5. Training and supervision of D4 leaders is made by D3 leaders, recruited among intermediate professionals: teachers, nurses, priests, auxiliaries in mental health, etc. The ratio is one D3 every 20 D4. The following level is that of D2 leaders, in which specialists (psychologists, social assistants, psychiatric nurses, etc.) act on a professional basis. The ratio is one D2 every 4 D3. Finally, the upper level is D1, the directors of the program, psychiatrists having the direction, supervision and training of D2 leaders. The ratio is one D1 every 2,5 D2. An evaluation is made of the experience carried out at Santiago (Chile) where it lasted eight years, and at Córdoba (Argentina) during eight months. The final evaluation stresses the advantages of the system, which at an extremely low cost/benefit ratio provides a comprehensive covering, profiting by the natural health resources of the community, otherwise neglected in their full potential benefits.