Objectives:

To characterize and evaluate the adequacy of the care practices provided by the public child mental health system to the new regulatory framework in Argentina.

Materials and Methods:

It is a descriptive exploratory design of multiple cases in which 12 health providers are analyzed through qualitative methodology based on documentary analysis and systematization of semi-structured interviews applied in 2018 in the provinces of Santa Fe, La Rioja and Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires.

Results:

In the studied jurisdictions, an incipient reform process was observed, although significant obstacles in the implementation in terms of training of human and financial resources, interdisciplinary approaches and comprehensive operation in intra- and inter-sectoral networks are still being detected. Differences between the levels of care stand out in this process, increasing the complexity of the approaches in Primary Care Centers (PCCs) and Specialized Centers in Mental Health (SCMH).

Conclusions:

In the jurisdictions where mental health care is integrated with general health and where there is central planning that ensures the accessibility and quality of care provided based on available resources, the adaptation of practices was facilitated. In addition, difficulties persist in articulation with organizations for the protection of the rights of children.

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