PlaTEA Day: adding perspectives to transform care for adults with autism
Psychiatric comorbidities of adults with ASD, the lack of specific training for professionals and the need for post-diagnostic support are the main needs detected within the mental health network.
The design of projects co-created with users, families and professionals in the social and health fields is crucial to caring for these people.
The design of projects co-created with users, families and professionals in the social and health fields is crucial for caring for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). With this premise, the Sant Joan de Déu Health Park celebrated today the 1st PlaTEA Conference: where perspectives add up, a meeting space that wants to give a voice to autistic people, families and professionals in the health and social field to move towards more inclusive and integrated care, and with a social perspective.
This day is part of the “PlaTEA” project: improving care for adults with autism”, led by Dr. Nuria Tous of the SJD Health Park and financed with Next Generation European funds. The goal is clear: improve the quality of life and social inclusion of adults with ASD through intersectoral coordination, co-creation and active user participation, a structural strategy of the institution's autism care program.
The preliminary results of thequalitative study on the needs of adults with ASD within the mental health network They confirm the need for appropriate therapeutic strategies, faster diagnoses and coordination between medical, social and work areas. The The conference responds to the need to consolidate good practices, disseminate results and promote the continuity of joint work. between mental health, social services and organizations.
Voices that inspire
The round table "Lived experience, shared knowledge” has highlighted the importance of listening to autistic people and their families: “PlaTEA has helped me understand myself and have a peace treaty with myself,” explained Mar Galiano, a user of the project. From a professional perspective, José Durán, occupational therapist, highlighted: “We have tried to create a space that is as pleasant and TEA friendly possible, a place that feels like home.”
Entities like Let's learn about Autism, New Life, Specialists or AutismMind They have shared experiences that demonstrate that support tools are essential to guarantee full citizenship.
Looking to the future: research and training
Although the European project is ending, the PlaTEA project will continue to evolve as living lab with activities that generate knowledge and allow the identification of the most effective interventions. This is possible through Somrise, the translation and transfer project led by Sant Joan de Déu to transform Mental Health and Addictions care in which all research includes the person with their own experience from the beginning, through co-creation processes that seek solutions applicable to clinical care.
“Only through rigor can we advance in knowledge, and only through knowledge can we arrive at the most appropriate solutions,” said the Dr. Antoni Serrano, director of the Mental Health Network of the SJD Health Park. He also recalled that years ago the institution's mental health department decided that "care for adults with ASD was an entity strategy."
A commitment to specialized care
The SJD Health Park has a specialized care program for adults with ASD without intellectual disability at the Numància Day Hospital, structured with a multidisciplinary team since 2024. This experience is the basis for continuing to innovate and offer answers that put people at the center. Currently, ASDs affect 1.23 out of every 100 people in Catalonia, with a forecast increase of over 2% in the coming years thanks to improvements in detection.
