# Chilean public health training and mental health initiatives > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/chilean-public-health-training-and-mental-health-initiatives > Updated: 2026-08-12T22:46:54.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2. Chilean educational and health institutions have implemented various training programs to address public health needs, specifically focusing on breastfeeding and mental health. Initial efforts included interdisciplinary breastfeeding training at the University of Talca and the University of Bío-Bío’s Micelio program, which trained over 500 students as community facilitators for mental health topics such as suicide prevention and emotional management. Subsequent initiatives expanded these efforts through community engagement and professional clinical training. In Loncoche, workshops used theater to help students address emotional well-being, while the Hospital Dr. Gustavo Fricke launched a training series for Primary Health Care medical teams to improve clinical competencies in diagnosing and treating conditions like unipolar depression. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-12: Chilean health initiatives expand mental health support and training Chilean health programs are expanding mental health support through student theater workshops in Loncoche and specialized clinical training for primary care medical teams led by Hospital Dr. Gustavo Fricke. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chilean-health-initiatives-expand-mental-health-support-and-training ### 2026-08-08: Chilean universities launch student training in breastfeeding and mental health Chilean universities are training students in specialized health areas, including breastfeeding support at the University of Talca and mental health facilitation at the University of Bío-Bío. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chilean-universities-launch-student-training-in-breastfeeding-and-mental-health --- Cite as: Chilean public health training and mental health initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/chilean-public-health-training-and-mental-health-initiatives