The GCM-BCN project aimed to implement and evaluate a pilot of the Guide for Collaborative Medication Management (GCM), an innovative model of community intervention in mental health focused on autonomy, participation, and guaranteeing the rights of people suffering from mental illness. This initiative has contributed to the transformation of mental health care models in the city of Barcelona, in line with the principles of the Barcelona Mental Health Plan 2023–2030. The project has been developed using a mixed and participatory methodology involving three public universities, two mental health services, and a first-person movement organization. During the implementation period, nine GCM groups have been set up in the districts of Nou Barris, Sants-Montjuïc, and Ciutat Vella, with the participation of 90 users and mental health professionals.
The results show significant progress in improving personal autonomy, satisfaction with treatments and services, strengthening support networks and exercising rights, as well as qualitative changes in the dynamics of the relationship between users and professionals. These results have been disseminated both in academic circles (publications, conferences, and congresses) and in the city’s health and social network, through outreach and transfer actions aimed at professionals, organizations, and citizens. The project has also fostered the creation of stable collaboration networks between academia, public services, and the social fabric, which has allowed the initiative to continue beyond the subsidized period. As a result of these synergies, a new project has been launched within the framework of the Generalitat de Catalunya’s mental health services network, aimed at consolidating and expanding the GCM model.
