focus on mental health

In 2017, Annecy merged with five surrounding municipalities and since then, “there had been no social needs analysis (ABS) concerning this new municipality of 130,000 inhabitants,” said Bénédicte Serrate, deputy mayor at the social action and housing. An approach which became necessary to know the needs of the population. The outgoing team and the CCAS having already retained an operator for the organization of the ABS, the site was able to be set up quickly.

At the same time, the municipal team elected in 2020 created a new delegation dedicated to health, living well and aging well, “a choice that has made it possible to color the ABS and to focus on the field of health. », Indicates Catherine Roulet, director of social action in the city.

The creation of a local mental health council

After the data collection and socio-demographic analysis carried out by the operator in September and October 2020, eleven working groups were formed in November 2020 with social action partners, to take stock of their concerns. The municipality also solicited the population via questionnaires made available on the city’s website. “Four themes have more particularly attracted attention, namely insecurity, housing, social services for households and mental health”, underlines Catherine Roulet.

For mental health, this priority is confirmed by the territorial mental health project of theARS. “In this area, concerns have been known for a long time,” adds Karine Bui-Xuan Picchedda, deputy mayor in charge of health, good living and aging well. Moreover, after the launch of the health mission, we took action on the creation of a local mental health council (CLSM) in September 2021 for an official launch in early 2022. ”The CLSM, which will have a half-time job coordinator funded by the city and the ARS, will be a place of reflection on worrying themes, in order to propose measures to act on the determinants of health.

The other projects

Mental health can impact many other areas as well. “For example, it is important to think about inclusive housing for people with mental health problems”, underlines Bénédicte Serrate. The CLSM coordinator will make the link between all the structures that act in the field of mental health to take appropriate measures, animate the network of partners, identify gaps and avenues of action in a preventive field and make proposals for their implementation.

Among these avenues, the creation of complex case units, training actions, suggestions for new interventions by mobile teams. Faced with these new priorities which also include the prevention of disorders and the promotion of mental health, the functioning of the CCAS is being reorganized with the creation of a social team attached to the CCAS.

“It will offer a new social response for all audiences in first demand, and this in addition to the work of the medico-social poles of the Departmental Council, reports Catherine Roulet. This team will have a role of identification and evaluation which will nourish the reflections to be carried out within the framework of mental health. »The new CCAS team will be operational on 1^is January.