Social work interventions in Colombia and Argentina improve mental‑health communication

In Colombia, a systematic study of pre‑professional practice at the IPS Niños de Papel health unit examined the role of social workers in communicating institutional information to families of children, adolescents and youths receiving mental‑health care. The research identified low family adherence to therapeutic processes due to gaps in understanding institutional information, weak communication channels and socioeconomic and cultural tensions. It highlighted how targeted communication strategies by social workers can improve families’ comprehension and participation in psychosocial interventions.

In Argentina, sixth‑year social work students at Hospital Prof. Dr. Rodolfo Rossi’s SAPS program conducted workshops on comprehensive sexual education with a focus on mental health, relationships and future planning for local youths. The workshops created a dialogic space that fostered shared meaning about the future and illustrated that mental‑health issues are shaped by broader social and institutional contexts. A student's attempted self‑elimination underscored the urgent need for such interventions. Both cases emphasize the mediating role of social work in linking health institutions with families and communities to enhance mental‑health outcomes.