UASD psychologists demand greater prominence in mental health policies
The Clinical Psychology Department of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) has raised its voice to point out the limited integration of psychology professionals in national mental health strategies. Although the academic institution recognizes the value of the 2026-2030 Strategic Mental Health Plan, it warns that the effective participation of clinical, health, and community psychologists in the system remains insufficient.
One of the critical points denounced by the entity is the precariousness of the infrastructure in hospital centers. According to reports, many psychologists lack adequate offices, being forced to use shared medical spaces that violate patient privacy, interrupt the therapeutic flow, and can lead to situations of revictimization.
Proposals to strengthen the healthcare system
Given this scenario, the Chair of Clinical Psychology has presented a roadmap with concrete measures to optimize care from the primary level, highlighting the following priorities:
- Early intervention: Creation of specialized teams for family support in cases of incipient mental health issues, thus reducing the need for unnecessary hospitalizations.
- Dignified infrastructure: Guaranteeing outpatient spaces that ensure confidentiality and increasing the number of professional staff in hospitals.
- Community reactivation: Recovering community mental health centers that were dismantled after decades of service.
- Management and supervision: Institutionalizing the position of head of psychology services in specialized centers and promoting multidisciplinary case reviews.
- Continuous training: Strengthening training in new therapies and actively promoting group therapies to speed up response times.
Strict compliance with Law 22-01, which regulates the operation of the Dominican College of Psychologists, is imperative, ensuring that strategic positions are occupied exclusively by duly accredited professionals.
Academic commitment to public health
The UASD, through its School of Psychology, maintains an active role in training experts capable of addressing psychological diagnosis and intervention. With an academic offering that includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and robust training in psychopathology, behavioral therapies, and psychoanalysis, the university seeks to bridge the gap between theory and hospital reality.
The institution continues to promote research and prevention spaces, such as the recent “Mental Health in the Community” symposium, where the urgency of applying scientific tools to address issues such as suicide prevention and comprehensive psychological well-being in the country was analyzed.
