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In this paper, we analyze the sociodemographic, clinical, and health care variables included in the interconsultation reports (PIC) that bring adult patients over a period of 15 days, collected consecutively in the months of March through June 2015 from three mental health centers in Madrid (Colmenar Viejo CSM, Villaverde CSM, and Vallecas Villa CSM). The statistical analysis of data, including analysis of descriptive variables and dichotomous variables, shows the following results: two thirds of referrals are transfers to psychiatry and one third are transfers to clinical psychology; mean time in the waiting list is 74 days for clinical psychology consultation and 38 days for psychiatry consultation; preferential referrals are 31%, with 28 days of mean time in waiting list, being mostly intended for psychiatry; main referred pathologies are anxiety and adaptive and depressive disorders; 46.7% of patients transferred to mental health were already taking some psychiatric medication; clinical psychology referrals involve significantly younge and less medicated patients, significantly less preferential, and with fewer diagnostic and pharmacologic specifications in the PIC than psychiatry referrals. These results are consistent with previous studies, although we have not found other studies that include more than one mental health center, or analyze qualitative information contained in the inter-consultation reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although we have made significant progress in the development of preventive tools and especially in the efficacy of the psychological treatments, we are still far from an optimal situation. This paper focuses on two major issues which we consider fundamental challenges and urges in this area: (a) the need for improving and spreading prevention, early intervention, and the promotion of mental health and (b) the need for greater dissemination of effective psychological treatments, the development of new interventions and greater understanding of the mechanisms of action of psychological treatments. The aim is to promote discussion among all stakeholders and debate on those lines we think as priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]