O percurso da queixa escolar da educação à saúde: análise de encaminhamentos para o Centro de Atenção Psicossocial da Infância e Adolescência

Abstract

The Brazilian psychiatric reform established a new assisting strategy to mental health care, removing the focus on hospitalization and implementing alternative services, Psychosocial Attention Centers (CAPS), Residential Services (SR) and Shelter Units (UA). Children and teenagers suffering from serious and persistent mental disorders were also targeted by this new policy initiative, and they started being assisted by the Children and Teenagers’ Psychosocial Attention Centers (CAPS ia). Although the criteria adopted to identify which patients should be assisted by these centers is the severity of the symptoms and the psychiatric risk, most of the children and teenagers that seek help from CAPS ia actually show behavioral problems or learning difficulties related to schooling activities. The goal of the present research is to describe the progress made by the children enrolled in the first five grades of the municipally managed elementary schools which were directed to a CAPS ia unit located in Salvador, the investigation location. The research was structured as an exploratory qualitative work based on a literature survey and documental analysis of data collected from infield observation, and semi-structured interviews undertaken with the patients’ tutors and with a focal group made up by professionals working at CAPS ia. The data analysis was conducted based on content analysis by categories, such as family demand, school complaints, follow-ups, drug use, schooling, psychiatric illness, exclusion of school activities, school contact, child development, positive and negative effects, cure and difficulties. The analysis shows that all investigated children were sent by the school, and the schools require that the parents provide diagnosis’ reports which included suggestions of medication use. The professionals at CAPS ia are committed to de-construct demands, using the child’s history in the therapy. There quirement of the national policy that a diagnosis is made in order to enroll patients in the service has contributed to unreviewed diagnosis, compromising the child’s chances to stop the disease from progressing. The present research concludes that the care of children and teenagers require a targeted policy, with territory interventions which allowmore comprehensive care.