# FAC community development and Brazil mental health trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fac-community-development-initiatives-in-brazil
> Updated: 2026-09-20T17:00:00.000Z. Sources: 30. Developments: 2.

The Fundo de Apoio à Comunidade (FAC) has implemented various community development programs in Brazil, focusing on skill-building and social well-being.

Initial efforts in the Jardim Tarumã neighborhood included culinary workshops designed to promote income generation and professional skills. These sessions, such as those held at the Instituto Social Ajudar e Cuidar (ISAC), emphasized sustainable cooking and the circular economy by teaching residents to reuse ingredients, such as preparing dishes from banana peels.

Building on these educational initiatives, FAC has expanded its focus to include mental health support for women in Campo Grande. In alignment with the ‘Setembro Amarelo’ awareness campaign, the organization utilizes its courses in crafts, entrepreneurship, and culinary arts to foster personal development. FAC President Adir Diniz stated that these activities help participants recognize their capabilities, which positively impacts self-esteem and emotional well-being.

During the ‘Setembro Amarelo’ observance, these efforts in Campo Grande coincided with broader mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, including lectures by the CAPS TM III unit to help patients recognize signs of emotional distress. These local actions occur against a backdrop of rising mental health challenges in Brazil. Preliminary data from the Ministry of Social Security shows that 546,254 temporary disability benefits were granted for mental and behavioral disorders in 2025, representing a 15.66% increase from the previous year.

As of May 2026, Brazil has updated its regulatory frameworks to address these challenges, requiring psychosocial risk factors to be integrated into Occupational Risk Management (GRO) and Risk Management Programs (PGR). This mandates that employers actively map work organization factors that may impact employee mental health. These domestic regulatory shifts occur alongside global concerns, as the World Health Organization estimates that mental health conditions cost the global economy approximately US$ 1 trillion annually due to lost productivity.

## Claims

- FAC activities aim to improve emotional well-being and self-esteem for women in Campo Grande. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The organization provides courses, workshops, and community actions in areas such as crafts, culinary arts, and entrepreneurship. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- FAC President Adir Diniz states that these activities help participants recognize their own capacities. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Setembro Amarelo campaign was established in Brazil in 2015 by the ABP, CFM, and CVV. (corroborated by 4 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-20: Brazil intensifies mental health awareness during Setembro Amarelo

Brazil's Setembro Amarelo campaign highlights rising mental health disorders, which saw a 15.66% increase in disability benefits, prompting new workplace safety regulations and community support efforts.

25 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fac-supports-womens-mental-health-in-campo-grande

### 2026-09-13: FAC culinary workshops promote sustainable cooking and income generation

The Community Support Fund (FAC) is hosting sustainable culinary workshops in Jardim Tarumã to help residents, including youth, develop skills for income generation and professional growth.

15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fundo-de-apoio-comunidade-hosts-sustainable-cooking-workshop-in-tarum

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Cite as: FAC community development and Brazil mental health trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fac-community-development-initiatives-in-brazil