The government of Región de Murcia is equipping all Áreas de Salud with Equipos de Tratamiento Asertivo Comunitario from President Fernando López Miras presented the expansion on 9 October 2026 during a visit to the Centro de Salud Mental Mar Menor in San Javier – one day before Día Mundial de la Salud Mental. The aim is to provide more intensive, outreach-based care for people with severe mental disorders in their home environment.
According to the regional government, these are interdisciplinary mobile teams made up of psychiatrists, mental health professionals, nurses and social workers. They are intended to actively reach and provide ongoing support to adult patients who often do not use regular services. This description is consistent with information from the Murcia Health Authority, which explains the teams as community-based outreach care involving treatment and health and social care coordination in the home environment. The abbreviation ETACs is sometimes used in regional communications; the measure is also described as intensive home care (Atención domiciliaria).
With this step, the regional government is implementing one element of its 2023–2026 strategy to improve mental health care, which includes expanding community-based services. The initiative is justified politically as a way to reduce avoidable hospital stays, reduce relapses and strengthen social inclusion. The administration also emphasises closer coordination with social services and non-profit organisations.
However, specific implementation details remain unclear. No timetable for the full rollout across all health areas, staffing levels for each team or funding framework has been announced. It is also unclear which indicators Consejería de Salud the new teams will use to evaluate and publicly report on their impact. From a professional perspective, robust indicators are needed for service use, avoidable admissions, relapse rates and changes in social participation.
The immediate impetus is the political decision made on 9 October in San Javier; relevant regional media have reported it consistently. The introduction of the teams follows a trend observable across Spain towards strengthening community-based psychosocial care. Whether the structures announced in Murcia achieve the hoped-for results will depend on staffing, formal coordination with primary care and social services, and secure multi-year funding.
Editor: Clara Simonichek (Article created with AI assistance).