The Colônia Leisure and Citizenship Club has been open since January 2000 at the Juliano Moreira Municipal Health Institute in Rio de Janeiro. It was set up according to the principles on which the Brazilian movement for psychiatric reform is based. The club is related to various services and practices required for the movement toward non-institutionalization that has been taking place in Brazil. This study aims at applying the sociological theory of leisure, developed by authors such as Joffre Dumazedier, Domenico de Masi and Milton Santos, to the field of mental health. Leisure and semi-leisure are defined and their role in society is highlighted. This theoretical approach is presented, as well as qualitative field research that analyzes the characteristics of leisure from the point of view of both users and staff members.
Leisure; psychiatric reform; psychosocial rehabilitation; outpatient clinic