This study investigated the educational dimension of matrix support practices for mental health within primary care.Using an interpretative-explanatory qualitative approach, professionals involved in matrix support for mental health in a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, were interviewed. The data were compared with matrix support frameworks with two pedagogical trends: directive and constructivist. The analysis on this content was incorporated with the interviews and two themes could be identified: "matrix supporter's profile", and "challenges for construction of matrix supporter's practice." The subjects' perceptions regarding supporters' competence profiles were coherent with matrix support assumptions, whereas their educational practices related mainly to the directive trend. The challenge of implementing constructivist practice was only partially recognized, since this requires a critical and transformative stance regarding the hegemonic educational practices within healthcare.Keywords: Mental health. Primary healthcare. Educational models. Support for human resources development.Assessment of healthcare needs. COMUNICAÇÃO SAÚDE EDUCAÇÃO 2015; 19(54):491-502Matrix support practicesThe matrix support proposals in mental health originated from the fact that primary care needed to incorporate knowledge and practices of the mental health specialties (Dimenstein et al 1 ). According to Campos et al. 2 , matrix support is, at the same time, an organizational arrangement and a work methodology, and it aims to offer assistance backup and technical-pedagogical support to the reference teams, which are responsible for a generalist approach to the care provided for users.Cunha et al. 3 refer to matrix support as the development of the capacity of dialog between the objectives of each discipline and the therapeutic proposal of intersections between diagnoses and treatments. Based on the construction of communication spaces and clinical and sanitary guidelines, matrix support creates close bonds between specialists and reference teams, which, in a shared way, become responsible for the care provided for a given population's health needs (Martins Junior 4 ).Fostering the exchange of knowledge between reference teams and specialist professionals, matrix support is grounded in the idea that no specialist in isolation will be able to ensure a comprehensive approach to health. The need to articulate each professional category's specificity in the promotion of comprehensive care is associated with the "intertwining" between network services and social equipment to guarantee continuity of care (Nunes 5 ; Dimenstein et al 1 ; Amorim 6 ; Domitti 7 ). According to Libâneo 23 , the way in which educators work, either selecting and organizing content or choosing a teaching and evaluation approach, is directly linked to their educational presuppositions.These reflect the understanding of how people interact and learn. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that knowledge about these presuppositions can subsidize the wa...

Este trabalho relata a experiência formativa do Programa de Intensificação de Cuidados a Pacientes Psicóticos (PIC), em Salvador. Durante quatro anos e meio, foram acompanhados por duplas de estagiários 40 pacientes e capacitados 111 profissionais para atenção à saúde mental. Foram realizadas atividades de atenção domiciliar, acompanhamento terapêutico (AT), espaços de convivência e sociabilidade, apoio aos familiares e suporte às necessidades individuais, conduzidos por dois supervisores, que utilizavam múltiplas referências teóricas na interpretação e intervenções com os sujeitos, com o agravante de estes terem precárias condições psíquicas, sociais e consequente desorganização familiar. Os resultados do projeto podem ser avaliados como experimento pedagógico docente-assistencial nos impactos no plano da formação e da assistência. O programa fomentou a produção teórica dos estagiários e, na Universidade, deu origem ao Laboratório de Estudos Vinculares e Saúde Mental. O amadurecimento profissional percebido nos estagiários refletiu-se nas suas inserções profissionais, com reconhecimento de diferenciada qualificação técnica. No plano assistencial, foi observada grande melhora na qualidade de vida dos pacientes, com significativa dispensa da internação como via de tratamento. Este trabalho aponta a necessidade de construção de espaços formativos ancorados no fazer prático, que apostem e estimulem a autonomia, a criatividade e o compromisso ético dos estudantes.