Large turnout at the conference on suicide prevention and intervention in the Universidad de Mendoza

As part of a joint effort to address one of the most pressing issues on the current public health agenda, the Universidad de Mendoza It was the campus, on August 22nd, of the first day of the training "Introduction to the problem of suicide: tools for the detection and management of suicide risk in the fields of health and education".

The meeting brought together about 500 participants (190 in person at the Aula Magna Azul of the UM central campus and 293 through the online modality), reflecting the high interest and the firm academic, professional and social commitment to prevention and early intervention in the provincial area.

Openness and institutionality

The formal opening of the event was led by the Mgter. Ignacio Vazquez Viera, Dean of the School of Health Sciences of the Universidad de Mendoza, as well as the Dr. Manuel VilapriñoDirector of Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use for the Government of Mendoza. The academic panel also included the participation of Attorney Lucía Toso, Director of Extension at the UM, and of the Rocío Videla, Esq., Director of the Bachelor's degree course in Psychology at our university.

During their welcoming remarks, the authorities highlighted the strategic value of collaborative work between the province's higher education institutions and the local government in building concrete responses to complex problems.

Articulated work and first module

Development Module 1 The training was conducted by Claudia Motta, Esq. and Carina Farjos, Esq., members of the program PAPSui (Population-Based Suicide Approach Program) of the Directorate of Mental Health and Problematic Consumption of the Province, who provided conceptual and operational tools for the timely detection of risk factors and the approach to crises in academic and community settings.

This continuing education proposal (which consists of 32 clock hours and a hybrid format) will continue throughout the coming months, reinforcing the skills of advanced students in degree courses related to health and education, as well as professionals and technical teams in the region.

A unique inter-university alliance

The initiative stands out for its inter-institutional cooperation model, uniting the academic and territorial capacities of the Universidad de Mendoza (UM), the Universidad del Aconcagua (UDA), the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA – Mendoza campus) and Universidad de Congreso (UC), in conjunction with the Government of Mendoza.

With this type of action, the Universidad de Mendoza It reaffirms its commitment to university outreach, social responsibility, and the creation of training spaces that directly and comprehensively impact the quality of life of our community.