[Group work in the context of our time]

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Social Psychology
• Institutional Psychology

Background:

• The Hospital School of Mental Health in San Luis, Argentina, has undergone significant transformation.
• Understanding institutional evolution is key to approaching crises and catastrophes effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the transformation of a mental health institution.
• To present a framework for approaching catastrophe and crisis situations.
• To demonstrate how group dynamics support interdisciplinary teams in decision-making and problem-solving.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a group device grounded in groupal theories.
• Considering therapeutic teams and institutions as groups.
• Analyzing the aspects of demand, including who demands, what is demanded, and how it is expressed.

Main Results:

• Groupness emerged as a necessity for supporting interdisciplinary teams in decision-making.
• The institution shifted from denying problems to developing new alternatives and deepening knowledge.
• Institutions moved from descriptive diagnoses to situational diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• The implemented group device facilitates intervention in various crisis, emergency, and social emergency situations.
• Collective construction fosters an open space for institutional response to community problems.
• Recognizing institutions and therapeutic teams as groups is crucial for effective crisis management.