ABSTRACT
The study aimed to analyze the statements about the theme of racism and mental health, focusing on the black population. The statements were supported by subjects related to the process of the Racism and Mental Health Work Group at the Ministry of Health. We sought to understand the issues about racism and mental health, as well as the challenges of inclusion in coping with racism in the Psychiatric Reform. Interviews, literature review, analysis of minutes, and documents related to the group were conducted. Problems were found regarding the training of workers in Mental Health; racial asymmetries in the field of mental health were indicated; the lack of ethnic-racial sensibility in the Psychosocial Care Network; and the need to embrace the psychic suffering crossed by racism. Such psychic suffering did not come out as a highlight before the Psychiatric Reform clinic, whether due to the non-inclusion of the theme, or to the difficulties of the services in embracing the subjects in such condition.
KEYWORDS
Racism; Mental health; African continental ancestry group; Psychiatric Reform; Social psychology