Pioneering Course in Pernambuco Supports Department of Education Professionals in Implementing the National Policy for Psychosocial Care in School Communities

Pernambuco State demonstrated its commitment to implementing the National Policy for Mental Health in Schools, established last year by Law No. 14,819. From September to December, the State Department of Education (SEE-PE) helds a course to strengthen the development of the State Action Plan, serving as a model for successful implementation in other states.

The course “From Law to Practice: How to Implement the National Policy for Mental Health in Schools,” is organized by SEE-PE, through the EntreLaços Project, in partnership with the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS), Juntô – Brazilian initiative of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute, and with the support of the Ministry of Education (MEC). The course is presented as one of the outcomes of the Technical Cooperation Agreement signed in 2024 by SEE-PE and IEPS.

“This pioneering course marks a historic step for Pernambuco and for Brazil. We are transforming the law into living practice, strengthening a network of professionals who will ensure greater care, support, and protection for our children, adolescents, and school communities. Ongoing training is essential so that this policy is not just a normative text, but a concrete action that unites education, health, and social assistance in defense of life and dignity,” said Cledson Severino de Lima, Manager of Educational Policies for Human Rights at SEE-PE.

The inaugural classes were held in the municipality of Gravatá on September 10 and 11 with the participation of approximately 50 professionals from the Psychosocial Care Centers in Schools (NAPSEs) and the Intersectoral Committee for Psychosocial Care in Schools. The course includes mapping existing challenges, analyzing mental health data on children and adolescents in Pernambuco and Brazil, and discussing indicators, risks and protective factors, as well as exploring the strategic role of schools in promoting mental health beyond their traditional role of knowledge transmission.

“This initiative is a fundamental step toward consolidating the National Policy for Mental Health in Schools in the daily life of Pernambuco’s schools—a policy that represents a collective achievement of Brazilian society. The course is pioneering and proposes a space for dialogue and training that can serve as inspiration for the entire country. We are very pleased to be part of this effort, further strengthening the EntreLaços Project already underway in the state,” said Priscila Borges, public policy analyst at IEPS.

Following the inaugural class, the program will continue with workshops, lectures, courses, and webinars on monitoring and evaluation of public policies, teachers’ mental health, current challenges, intersectorality, and youth leadership.

Luis Rhode, Scientific Supervisor at Juntô, highlighted the relevance of the topics to be addressed throughout the training. “The themes can contribute to understanding and supporting the mental health of children and adolescents. Advances in legislation are important, but for these policies to be truly implemented and generate satisfactory results, we must train the frontline professionals who are in daily contact with young people,” he said.

The course will feature three open webinars broadcast live on IEPS YouTube channel. The first will take place on October 10 at 10 a.m., on the topic “Teachers’ Mental Health.” The second will be held on November 7 at 10 a.m., on “The Social Role of Schools in Promoting Mental Health.” The final webinar, “The Importance of Youth Leadership in Public Mental Health Policies,” will take place on November 28 at 10 a.m.

About SEE-PE

Currently, the implementation of Law No. 14,819/2024 in Pernambuco is locally coordinated by the Psychosocial Care Unit for Schools (UAPSE), linked to the Educational Policy Department for Human Rights and Citizenship (GEDHC). This department is part of the Executive Secretariat for Education Development (SEDE), one of the nine executive secretariats of the State Department of Education. From the coast to the Sertão, the state has 16 Psychosocial Care Centers for Schools (NAPSEs), distributed across each of the Regional Education Departments. This work is carried out mainly through the EntreLaços Project, which focuses on promoting mental health and preventing and addressing multiple forms of violence in the school environment.

About the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS)

The Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS) is a nonprofit, independent, and nonpartisan organization, with offices in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Its mission is to contribute to the improvement of public health policies in Brazil. IEPS has been engaged in mental health since 2021, leading the Mental Health Program for Children and Adolescents and serving as the Executive Secretariat of the Joint Parliamentary Front for the Promotion of Mental Health. Learn more at ieps.org.br

About Juntô

Juntô is an initiative launched by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute (CMI). Its goal is to strengthen the mental health of Brazilian children and adolescents through approaches grounded in scientific evidence. It promotes and supports innovative, scalable solutions that are sensitive to local context and culture, playing a key role in advancing prevention, assessment, and treatment of mental health challenges. Juntô fosters collaboration with local experts to expand access to effective services and free public resources, while also enhancing the training of professionals and individuals who work directly with its target audience. The project is developed and implemented in partnership with local experts, universities, and community organizations, with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of its Global Health Initiative (GHI).