THE MATRIX SUPPORT AS A MENTAL HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Abstract The present qualitative and cross-sectional study has the aim of analyzing the perspective of the professionals of the psychosocial care centers regarding the matrix support as a psychosocial care strategy in mental health. We used ten semi-structured interviews with mental health service professionals from the municipality of Imperatriz, in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. We concluded that these professionals understand matrix support as an indispensable tool to organize psychosocial care, but it is still used incipiently in their everyday practice regarding the following challenges: coexistence of the psychosocial and biomedical models; lack of work conditions; lack of permanent and ongoing education in the care network; bureaucratization and verticalization of the management actions; and motivation to work on the part of the teams. Some successful experiences regarding matrix support for these workers resulted from the co-management of work processes between professional and users. We recommend that there be a clear direction of the work on the part of the management, with a definition of a team of matrix workers and a planning for its development, creating work processes that favor such a practice.