National emergency training in Mental Health and Psychosocial Care on Covid-19: an experience report

ABSTRACT

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic, due to the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, triggering a global alert about the need for rapid expansion of the capacity for surveillance, prevention and implementation of assistance structures for countries’ health systems. On the day after the statement by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, that recognized community transmission in Brazil, a group of researchers was invited to gather scientific evidence and best practices for Mental Health and Psychosocial Care on Covid-19. A total of 1,563 articles were selected that referred to mental health and/or psychosocial care in contexts of health emergencies. Researchers, professors and volunteers from 25 institutions, recognized for their notorious knowledge, participated, totaling 117 volunteer professionals. It was decided to set up an online national course. Altogether, 60,780 professionals joined the course in the first 30 days of enrollment. The online modeling, synchronous and asynchronous, enabled training during a period of social distance, and also allowed professionals from different states in the national territory to have access to updated information based on national and international research, seeking to guarantee the strengthening of actions within the scope of health policies, and based on international protocols.

KEYWORDS
Mental health; Psychosocial support systems; Pandemics; Training courses