On the island of Lanzarote, there are approximately 5,000 people diagnosed with some pathology or illness related to the field of mental health who find the necessary and demanded socio-health care by these patients and their families, thanks to the centers managed directly by the Cabildo of Lanzarote, the Canary Islands Health Service, and the services provided by associations such as the Association for the Defense of the Psychiatric Patient 'El Cribo', which works with a team of 18 professionals in this field, in addition to volunteers, to achieve an improvement in the health of the psychiatric patient.
To carry out this work of assistance, medical-health, social, economic, and labor advice, among other actions carried out by 'El Cribo', the Cabildo of Lanzarote and the seven town councils have signed this Friday a collaboration agreement by which the local corporations will contribute a total of 30,000 euros to finance the conditioning, maintenance, and rent - for one year - of the new headquarters of this association, which is located at number 7 of Gobernador José García Hernández street in Arrecife.
The Councilor for Social Welfare of the first Island Corporation, Marciano Acuña, also acting as accidental president of the Institution, explained that "the Cabildo of Lanzarote allocates 10,000 euros to this agreement and that the other 20,000 are contributed by the seven municipal councils, according to the distribution of the municipal charter". According to this criterion, the Arrecife city council contributes 7,353.75 euros; Teguise 2,977.43; Haría 989.29; Tías 2,798.92; San Bartolomé 2,587.07; Yaiza with 2,226.22; and Tinajo contributes with 1,067.32 euros.
A supramunicipal service
Acuña expressed his satisfaction for the contribution and financial contribution made by all the administrations of the island, which "have joined in improving a resource and supramunicipal assistance service such as this one that allows improving the quality of life of psychiatric patients and that of their families".
The councilor also highlighted that "in this field of socio-health care, the Cabildo of Lanzarote contributes to El Cribo with another 500,000 euros to cover the Socio-health Program for Attention to Disability in the Mental Health sector on the island of Lanzarote with 70 public places in day centers and 20 places in flats and supervised homes managed by this association.
The assistance network in Lanzarote, dependent and managed directly by the Cabildo in the mental health sector, also covers another 23 public places in a residential regime, in the 'Julio Santiago Obeso' Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit.
"All this, together with the Mental Health Unit and the Short Stay Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service, complete the socio-health map in this sector," explained Acuña, who stated that "for the Cabildo and the rest of the administrations, the maintenance of these infrastructures, which have cost so much to set up, is a priority objective".
Finally "a decent and conditioned headquarters"
On the other hand, the president of the Association for the Defense of the Psychiatric Patient 'El Cribo', Jesús María Fernández Ramírez, thanked all the councilors of Social Services, present at the signing of the agreement, and the Department of Social Welfare of the Cabildo of Lanzarote for "the efforts made so that finally, this association that provides daily service to about 70 people and their families, can have a decent, enabled and conditioned headquarters to carry out its work".
He also thanked the professionals and monitors who are working daily with patients and developing workshops, advice and activities with these people with mental illness.
"A Mural full of sensitivity"
Finally, the users and young people of El Cribo wanted to publicly present this morning a colorful mural that covers the facade of their new headquarters. And they have done so accompanied by all the collaborating administrations with El Cribo, the monitors of the association and some people who have participated in its elaboration. "The mural aims, in addition to showing the sensitivity of these people, to open the headquarters of El Cribo to the society of Lanzarote and make it visible and closer to the population," said its president.
The Councilor for Social Welfare and accidental president of the Cabildo, on behalf of the entire Island Corporation, also conveyed his congratulations to all the "artists" and users of the association for the work done.
