Introduction:

Intervention in mental health in childhood and adolescence should be a priority, considering the high prevalence of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence associated with a high rate of comorbidity and the frequent continuity of severe psychopathology in adulthood. The literature highlights the importance of decentralizing child mental health care, promoting community-based intervention, and an interface between specialized services and primary health care.

Methods:

Conducting specialized training in child mental health, aimed at primary care physicians and technicians. Participants, at the beginning and end of the course, answered a 22-question questionnaire prepared by the scientific committee. The results were evaluated using Pearson's Chi-squared test.

Results:

Out of a total of 120 participants, 109 questionnaires were completed at the beginning (90% of participants), and 97 questionnaires were completed at the end of the training course (81% of participants). The score of the global initial and final questionnaires was statistically significant (p-value <0.05, 95% confidence interval), with the average of correct answers from the initial questionnaires being 75.15% and the final questionnaires of 86.40%. In 15 of the 22 questions, a statistically significant difference was obtained.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Considering the results, it is possible to recognize the significant impact that this training seems to have had in the acquisition of new knowledge in child mental health. Primary health care teams are privileged areas for articulation, with the potential to promote prevention and mental health promotion strategies, identify problems early, intervene in less severe cases and refer to specialized services in a timely manner.

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