Por Pablo Arranz 
Expert voices gather this Tuesday at the University of Alicante (UA) to discuss the psychological well-being of the State’s security forces and bodies in crisis and disaster contexts, in a day organized by the Permanent University of the University of Alicante (UPUA) and the Emotional Support Group of the UA.
It will take place in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, from 10:00 to 13:00, with open doors to the general public. This activity arises from the «social and educational commitment» of the UPUA to «give visibility to the projects of its students that address challenges related to mental health,» as indicated by the academic institution in a statement.
The day, which will have the participation of university authorities and experts in the field of health and security, will be inaugurated in an event presided over by the Vice-Rector for Permanent Training and Languages, Rosabel Roig Vila; the director of the UPUA, Marián Alesón Carbonell, and the president of the Association of Students and Alumni of the UPUA, Rafael Arenillas Antón.
Throughout the morning, topics such as mental health in the university environment or the emotional impact on security forces in crisis situations will be addressed, and initiatives such as an emotional support group promoted by the UA and a manual of good practices in health and well-being aimed at security professionals will be presented.
«VISIBILIZING CURRENT CHALLENGES»
This space for reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue aims to «highlight current challenges in mental health and promote a culture of care, prevention, and emotional support,» as explained by Alesón.
And he added: «Special attention will be paid to the personnel of the security forces, who represent the first line of response to critical situations, disasters, and emergencies, such as those recently experienced in our environment, with special reference to episodes like the dana in the Valencian Community.»
Among the program highlights is the presentation of the ‘Manual of good practices in police health and well-being,’ by its academic coordinator, Federico Gómez Sáez, retired chief superintendent of the Local Police and professor at the Police School.
Also, the conference ‘Mental health in the university,’ given by the professor and delegate of the Rector for the Unit of Psychology and Resilience of the UA, Miguel Richart Martínez, who will address the «importance of creating emotionally healthier university environments.»
THE CASE OF EMERGENCIES SUCH AS THE DANA
Likewise, the presentation of the Emotional Support Group of the UA, an initiative promoted by the Faculty of Health Sciences and made up of trained volunteers to provide emotional support in the university environment, and a lecture on the emotional impact on local police officers involved in emergencies such as the dana, given by the chief of the Local Police of València and expert in psychology applied to security, Alfredo Pacheco Torralva, has been scheduled.
The event will conclude with the participation of the Councilor for Citizen Security of the City Council of Alicante, Julio Calero Rey; the member of the Official College of Psychologists of the Valencian Community, Alberto Plaza, and the president of Unijepol España and former chief superintendent of the Local Police of Albacete, Pascual Martínez Cuesta.
With this initiative, the UA reaffirms its «active role in research on mental health and in the promotion of the well-being of professionals working in high-demand contexts.»
«The day aims to generate a constructive dialogue among researchers, professionals, institutional authorities, teaching staff, and students, in order to strengthen emotional care strategies that promote the healthy development of the professional exercise of emergency and security bodies,» concluded the director of the UPUA.