Innovation in mental health from the perspective of users: a community movement in the Northeast of Brazil

This study, originating from a multidimensional analysis on the innovation category in a Community Mental Health Movement of Bom Jardim (Fortaleza, Brazil) that examines subjective and psychosocial dimensions, seeks to examine to what extent the work developed by this movement is effectively an innovative model in mental healthcare from the perspective of users of this service. The methodology adopted was a qualitative case study method based on a critical-interpretive approach employing techniques such as in-depth interviews associated with focus groups. The categorization of the discursive material was conducted using a model based on the four main dimensions of psychiatric reform, namely conceptual, technical, legal and socio-cultural aspects. The results reveal the following: an emphasis on the individual rather than focusing on the sickness; care as the basis for purposeful actions; the co-production of genuine dialogue with multiple stakeholders, and the construction of autonomy emphasizing individual potential. In conclusion, it can be said that healthcare practices developed by the Movement involve deconstructing the traditional model of mental healthcare, permitting new forms of citizenship, thereby contributing to deinstitutionalization.