Psychologists are the best qualified to deal with crisis situations and to help in creating conditions to deal with the increase in situations of depression, anxiety, stress, execssive consumption and suicides. In the interview with TVI, Telmo Mourinho Baptista guaranted that by dispensing with psychologists in health and in schools, the country is dispensing with precious recourses for resolving the problematic situation that the country is experiencing.

The President also warned against the big reduction of psychologists in schools, this academic year, which may bring huge problems in the identification and intervention of problem cases. Telmo Mourinho Baptista gave, as an example, an international study, recently published, which states that depressed children are at greater risk of being bullied. For the President, taking psychologists out of schools can jeopardise the intervention in these cases, and bring serious consequences to children and families.

The President left an appeal for the urgent reinforcing of psychologists in schools and health centres because they are in the front line when it comes to contact with the populations and can intervene in a quicker and more effective manner.

See the complete interview of the President of the Ordem dos Psicólogos (OPP) on TVI here.