Access to mental health services: the perspective of people experiencing homelessness.

OBJECTIVES

to understand the access of people experiencing homelessness to mental health services within the Psychosocial Care Network in a municipality in the interior of São Paulo State.

METHODS

a qualitative study based on Alfred Schutz's phenomenological sociology, involving interviews with 21 individuals experiencing homelessness conducted in July 2024. The analysis revealed two categories: "Experiences of people experiencing homelessness in accessing the Psychosocial Care Network" and "Expectations in light of lived experiences".

RESULTS

mobility between points of care within the network is driven by barriers in mental health care, while the presence of the Street Outreach Clinic facilitates access. Both continuity and discontinuity in care were observed, linked to experiences of welcoming as well as discrimination. Expectations include equal and universal access to care.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: access, marked by vulnerability, inadequate support, discrimination, and tension due to care disruption, demands welcoming practices, improved service quality, and professional training.