The main responsible for this project met with the IAJ program advisor, José María Urbano, and the provincial deputy, Ildefonso Ruiz, to present the data of this project on the approach to emotional problems of young people.
11/5/2022.- Luis Joaquín García, professor at the University of Jaén (UJA), presented the results of the PROCARE initiative in a telematic meeting with José María Urbano, program advisor of the Andalusian Youth Institute (IAJ) and the provincial deputy of Ciudadanos, Ildefonso Ruiz.
In his presentation, Luis Joaquin Garcia delved into the free help provided to more than 1,500 schoolchildren at risk of emotional problems and their families. Through PROCARE, a significant contribution has been made to the promotion of mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people between 12 and 18 years of age in Spain, with special emphasis on schoolchildren in the province of Jaén.
In turn, Luis Joaquín highlighted the success of PROCARE as the first transdiagnostic selective prevention program under the framework of personalized medicine that targets young people in the current stage of psychosocial difficulties during the pandemic and post-pandemic. The UJA professor emphasized “the relevance of the interest of legislative institutions in the promotion of mental health and emotional well-being and in the prevention of suicide, which is becoming one of the biggest problems among young people”. In this sense, he stressed that “there is no health without mental health. There is no future without emotionally healthy and resilient adolescents. PROCARE has proven to be an effective evidence-based intervention with a high social return on investment”.
For his part, Jose Maria Urbano praised “the work led from the UJA in favor of the mental health of young people” and invited the PROEM Network team to participate in one of the round tables of the conference ‘Dialogues with the Andalusian youth’, focused on mental health and well-being, which will be held in Seville on Thursday, May 12. Meanwhile, Ildefonso Ruiz has presented different options for collaboration with the Provincial Council of Jaén to propose to the institution the establishment of an agreement that will allow the structuralization of the PROCARE initiative in rural and urban areas throughout the province.
The PROCARE initiative is a nationwide project that has involved professionals from the Psychology Department of the UJA, the Rovira i Virgili University, the Miguel Hernández University of Elche and the University of Miami (USA). In addition, the Youth Institute (INJUVE) of the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, the Spanish Association of Mutual Help against Social Phobia and Anxiety Disorders (AMTAES), the Confederation of Organizations of Psychopedagogy and Guidance of Spain (COPOE), the FELGTBI+ Youth group of the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans and Bisexuals (FELGTB) and the Youth Council of Spain (CJE) are part of the project’s External Advisory Council.
