At the Provincial Council meeting on October 13th, mental health was a central theme. The worsening of mental health and its connection to housing quality were highlighted during the recently concluded awareness week.
With its network of 10 services spread across the territory, the Province of Hainaut is actively involved in combating this scourge. Responding to a question from Provincial Councillor Isabelle De Pourcq, Deputy David Lavaux revealed that approximately 3,000 cases, including 800 concerning children, were handled in one year by these services, which employ 65 full-time equivalents. A total of 40,000 services were provided in an increasingly strained context. As of last December 31st, 473 people were awaiting care.
These figures illustrate the essential role played by this provincial network, at a time when mental health issues are increasingly linked to precariousness, housing conditions, or isolation. "Our teams provide multidisciplinary local support to address situations arising from personal or family difficulties, professional disorders, or anxiety," stated the Deputy.
Provincial services offer direct support to citizens: reception, listening, orientation, and psychotherapy. They collaborate with frontline actors such as CPAS (Public Social Welfare Centres), hospitals, and schools, and provide certain therapeutic follow-ups within retirement homes.
A specific Hainaut initiative involves three provincial services providing support to perpetrators of sexual aggression upon their release from prison. These little-known missions strongly justify the province's local policy.
