Servicio de Psicología de Alta Demanda: Un modelo propuesto desde la Alcaldía de Baruta Caracas, Venezuela

Yorelis  Acosta

doi:10.58479/almanaque.2025.171

Authors

Yorelis Acosta Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuela)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58479/almanaque.2025.171

Keywords:

mental health, well-being; primary care, high demand, public health, municipal proposal

Abstract

This paper aims to propose a care model for high-demand psychology services, grounded in prevention and public health. It outlines the fundamental pillars of the model, which begins with an analysis of demand in psychosocial terms and includes response strategies for different types of users: municipal employees, residents of the municipality, and approximately 55% of users who reside in other municipalities within Greater Caracas. The model is based on the experience of the Psychology Service of the Baruta Municipality, located in Miranda State. The paper provides a general overview of the approach to mental health from a public health perspective, followed by a description of how the service operates, its objectives, and its psychosocial care strategies. These are aligned with principles from cognitive behavioral therapy, brief psychotherapy, and community clinical psychology, and include care modalities and key social programs. The intention is to encourage discussion around new approaches and training for psychologists to effectively respond to high demand in a primary care setting at the municipal level—one that integrates the well-being and mental health of both workers and citizens, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Author Biography

Yorelis Acosta, Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuela)

Yorelis J. Acosta is a clinical psychologist graduated from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), a Specialist in Psychosocial Intervention, holds a Master’s degree in Social Psychology, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Political Science at the same university. She is a professor at the School of Political and Administrative Studies and in the Specialization Program in Government and Public Policy at UCV, where she teaches courses in Political Psychology and Research Methodology. She is also a guest lecturer in the Social Psychology department at Universidad Metropolitana. In 2004, she created a research line on Conflict and Political Protest in Venezuela, which has led to various studies, presentations at academic events, conferences, and publications in both the press and scientific journals. This line of work gave rise to further research on social, political, and school violence, as well as on other conflict-related factors such as polarization, psychosocial and symbolic elements, health and violence, political discourse analysis, and the intersection of emotions and politics. She is a full member and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Venezuelan Association of Social Psychology (AVEPSO).