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On Wednesday, March 4, Prime Minister Vicente Zeballos announced at a press conference the creation of a National Mental Health Council (CONASAME), led by the Ministry of Health (MINSA). In addition, Supreme Decree No. 007-2020-SA approved the regulations implementing Mental Health Law No. 30947.
In this regard, the Prime Minister stated that “as a government we are interested in implementing community mental health centers and protected homes. This year our goal is to establish 50 and 35 respectively, especially in the regions.”
ABOUT CONASAME:
CONASAME will be responsible for preparing and monitoring a National Mental Health Policy. It will also coordinate multisectoral and intergovernmental actions and develop projects that support mental health care in the country.
The Council will be composed of the Ministry of Health, which will chair it, and the heads of the ministries of Education, Labor and Employment Promotion, Interior, Defense, Culture, Environment, Justice and Human Rights, Women and Vulnerable Populations, and Development and Social Inclusion. The presidents of the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE), the Social Health Insurance system (EsSalud), and the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA) will also participate in this mental-health body.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Health, as the governing authority, will supervise policies on mental health promotion, prevention, care, recovery and rehabilitation, and will define the corresponding indicators for this process.
ABOUT THE REGULATIONS:
With the aim of strengthening mental health care overall, the regulations apply to all health-related institutions attached to MINSA, Regional and Local Governments, the Social Health Insurance system (EsSalud), the health services of the Armed Forces and National Police of Peru, the National Penitentiary Institute, and the private sector. They also apply to citizens throughout their lives.
The regulations also refer to Community Mental Health Centers (CSMC), which are highly equipped and trained facilities dedicated directly to mental health care and treatment as part of the Integrated Health Networks.
If you would like to learn everything about these new mental health provisions, we invite you to click the following box to read the Supreme Decree in full:
