Integra RAPS begins training phase for mental health professionals in Maceió

Project funded by Braskem is part of the Socio-Urban Action Plan and aims to strengthen the Psychosocial Care Network

Maceió, August 17, 2026 - Professionals from Maceió's Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS) have entered a new training phase of the Psychosocial Care Strengthening Project (Integra RAPS). The activities of the Training Modules Component began this Friday, August 14, at an event held at the Senai Poço Auditorium. Workers, managers, and partners involved in mental health care participated in a program featuring lectures, presentations, and talks.

The opening panel, composed of representatives from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), the Undersecretariat for Specialized Care of the Municipal Health Department (SMS), the Coordination of the Psychosocial Care Network, and Braskem, highlighted the importance of the topic in the context of reparation.

Continuing the program, writer, psychoanalyst, and parenting educator Elisama Santos-known for her work in the areas of nonviolent communication and emotional health-addressed the topic of mental health and conflict mediation. During her presentation, Elisama invited the audience to reflect on their feelings and learn to recognize states of vulnerability by observing the physical and emotional signs that led them to that realization.

Next, João Mendes, a psychologist with a Ph.D. in Public Health, addressed deinstitutionalization and the anti-asylum movement. According to the professional, the shift in the mental health care model has moved away from a psychiatric hospital-centered approach to one that integrates a network with other services. "Equipment and physical infrastructure are necessary, but professionals' mindset and way of working also need to change so that we can fully understand what this new configuration means. Programs such as Integra RAPS are essential to ensuring sound public policy, which is achieved through a combination of services, infrastructure, and, above all, professional training," he stated.

Integra RAPS

The Integra RAPS project is carried out by a specialized company contracted by Braskem through the Socio-Urban Action Plan (PAS), in partnership with the Municipal Health Department (SMS). Until next November, physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and other professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary teams of Maceió's Psychosocial Care Network will receive training in seven modules focused on comprehensive care for users.

Braskem's Social Action Manager, Raineldes Melo, emphasizes that the project complements other PAS initiatives, such as the construction of the Psychosocial Care Center AD III (CAPS AD III) in the Cidade Universitária neighborhood. "Maceió's Psychosocial Care Network involves several professionals in routines that often require the sharing of information beyond the scope of each individual's specific roles. Integra RAPS was designed to help strengthen this network by providing training to public servants and supporting improvements to shared routines," she explains.

Training Pathway

The Program's initiatives are structured along two lines. The first involved efforts to qualify the Network's teams and establish work routines, with a focus on network-based support and the territorial organization. Under this Shared Routines component, completed in July, RAPS and Primary Care teams participated in workshops, mapped healthcare, social services and support networks, and collectively developed workflows to address demands.

The second line, the Training Modules Component, covers topics such as Primary Care as the coordinator of the Network, mental health across childhood and adolescence, as well as women's and older people's mental health, intersectionality, and strategies to improve professional practices. The content ranges from welcoming and crisis management to suicide prevention, gender-based violence, and racism.

Nurse Lena Betânia Teixeira, from CAPS AD Dr. Everaldo Moreira, recognizes the importance of the training in improving care for users of Maceió's Psychosocial Care Network. "I believe that Integra RAPS will help me improve my ability to provide services and work in an even more compassionate way and with much more knowledge. The more we learn, the better we understand and act," she says.

What is PAS?

The Socio-Urban Action Plan is provided for in the Socio-environmental Agreement signed by Braskem and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), with the participation of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the State of Alagoas (MPAL) and adherence by the Municipality of Maceió. PAS brings together initiatives that involve the construction or renovation of daycare centers, markets, public squares, and health care units, as well as measures in the cultural, social, economic, and urban planning areas. Some of the actions are executed by Braskem; others by Maceió's local government. The plan is fully funded by Braskem, with a budget of BRL 198 million, adjusted annually.

 

 

 

PHOTO CREDITS - Philipe Medeiros/Divulgação/Braskem