Mental health care for youth expanded with new Íntegro center in Zapopan

With the capacity to provide six thousand free consultations a year and serve as a mental health care center in Zapopan and the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, the new Íntegro center opened this afternoon. It is intended for young people between the ages of 14 and 29, with hours Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The center, located at 750 Luis Quintero Street in the Quintas del Federalismo neighborhood, is one of the 2,200 commitments made by Zapopan Mayor Juan José Frangie during his campaign. With an investment of 7.5 million pesos, Íntegro has six consulting rooms, a booth with a wind telephone (a tool used for grief and healing, used to symbolically speak to a person), and a multipurpose room for therapies, training, and group exercises. It also has a rest area and an emergency room.

We recommend: Train to Akron cancelled

Frangie Saade stated that this new center will provide spaces of trust for those who may not be able to reach out to their parents, teachers, or friends . She indicated that seeking psychological care is not a sign of weakness and lamented that one in three young people in Mexico suffers from symptoms of depression, anxiety, or distress.

Furthermore, Íntegro represents Zapopan's commitment to youth, he stated, as it represents the "present" of Jalisco and the country. "I believe it's one of the best investments in Zapopan . It's a unique space, the only one of its kind in all of Mexico, which is why we in Zapopan always want to be at the forefront and on another level. If we didn't have these types of services, there would be no justice, no inclusion, no prosperity in a municipality."

The Director of Social Care for Zapopan, Patricia Yokogawa Teraoka , emphasized that recommendations and advice were received during the construction of this center, in addition to the participation of the Monterrey Institute of Technology. She emphasized that it is close to various public transportation routes, Line 1 of the Light Rail, the Mi Macro Periférico (My Macro Peripheral System), and the Municipal Medical Services. "It is easily accessible for everyone."

For her part, the general coordinator of Community Building, María Gómez Rueda, noted that suicide occurs every 43 seconds worldwide, and that it is the third leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 and 29. In Jalisco, 700 people take their own lives each year.

"Mental health services should be a right, and not just for those who can afford to pay for them. Mental health cannot continue to be a postponed and stigmatized conversation [...]. We must understand that mental health is not an individual problem that each person must solve on their own. It's a structural problem that requires us to work together—governments, the private sector, civil society, and the community as a whole," he said.

According to the Jalisco Institute of Mental Health and Addictions, the prevalence of depressive symptoms is 7.5 percent among children and adolescents in the metropolis. Meanwhile, state Health Secretary Héctor Raúl Pérez Gómez explained that globally, approximately 10 percent of the population suffers from depression and/or anxiety, while seven percent have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He lamented that mental health conditions are increasingly common among young people, who are even committing suicide. Drug use, especially highly addictive and synthetic substances like fentanyl, has also been on the rise.

Therefore, he celebrated the opening of Íntegro as a necessary space for mental health care in Jalisco and recognized Zapopan's healthcare infrastructure. He asked Mayor Frangie to expand coverage and admit young people from any municipality in the state who require assistance.

Read also: He tried to sell his son and ended up arrested by the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office

Finally, Andrea Blanco Calderón, Jalisco's General Coordinator of Social Development, noted that stigmas still exist regarding mental health care and considered it important to extend the Zapopan model to other municipalities in the state. She announced that in the coming weeks, the child psychiatry department will be inaugurated at the Jalisco Mental Health Institute (SALME), in addition to expanding care at the Guadalajara Civil Hospital.

Panic and listening buttons will also be available for people experiencing crises and who threaten their own lives at Light Rail stations. "Depression is a monster that's gradually overtaking us. It's a shadow that's taking over, and we need to work on prevention."

NA