Chapter 1. The centers of accompaniment in community mental health of the Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia - CAMSCUNAD: as scenarios for the enhancement of quality mental health services, according to the contexts and particularities of the territories.

This chapter focuses on the Centers of Accompaniment in Community Mental Health of the Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (CASMCUNAD) as fundamental spaces for strengthening mental health services, adapting them to the specific needs of the different territories. It highlights how these centers promote social support networks that seek to mitigate problems such as substance abuse, mental illness, suicide, bullying and violence, although it is recognized that sometimes these efforts lack continuity and sustained results. The text explores the capacity of these networks to establish organized and informed strategies to address these challenges, facilitating follow-up and results, and how cohesion based on shared world-views can contribute to coping with everyday difficulties.

However, the chapter also points out the persistence of coexistence and mental health problems in the communities, highlighting the need for more effective coping tools. It discusses how CASMCUNAD addresses social inclusion, sense of community, resilience and human welfare in different contexts, including non-indigenous communities, social and formal organizations. The development of a concept of community that transcends geographies towards virtuality and the understanding of community mental health in groups without territorial roots are key explored aspects. Furthermore, it addresses the social representation of the community as a marginal group in need of assistance, and the work of CASMCUNAD to restructure this perception, differentiating psychosocial action from welfarism. Finally, the progress in the use of community participatory diagnostic tools mediated by virtual means, driven by the pandemic, as a way to improve the approach and psychosocial approach in the communities, is mentioned.