Análise de uma Oficina Nacional de Saúde Mental e o Combate ao Racismo sob uma Perspectiva Acadêmica

Abstract

Introduction: The National Workshop on Mental Health and Combating Racism, held in Brasília in 2023, highlighted the urgency of addressing racial inequities in mental health, recognizing racism as a social determinant of health. The event brought together policymakers, professionals, and experts to discuss anti-racist public policies and strengthen the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS) within Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS). Objectives: This study proposes to identify and systematize the strategies and proposals presented during the National Workshop on Mental Health and Combating Racism. Methodology: This study was conducted through a qualitative analysis of the workshop report, which included a panel discussion with presentations on intersectionality and racism, thematic working groups (Indigenous peoples, Black/Quilombola populations, race/color criteria), and a final plenary session to systematize proposals. Results: The workshop revealed the intricate connection between racism and mental health, identifying three priority areas: for Indigenous peoples, the need for culturally sensitive professional training, incorporation of traditional practices into SUS, and better coordination with FUNAI; the Black and Quilombola population demanded the expansion of RAPS in peripheral areas, recognition of Afro-Brazilian religious centers as therapeutic spaces, and land tenure regularization; regarding race/color criteria, the importance of anti-racist training for professionals, improved ethnic-racial data collection, and psychiatric reform with a decolonial approach was emphasized. Final Considerations: The workshop demonstrated the need for decolonial public policies, intersectoral collaboration, and targeted funding to achieve racial equity in mental health. While it advanced the framing of racism as a public health issue, translating this into practice will require structural changes in medical education and SUS governance. Academia plays a crucial role in this process by generating evidence on the impacts of racism on health and monitoring the implementation of proposed policies.