W+
Unit W+ is a health response, which aims to provide psychological and psychotherapeutic support to people at risk and psychological vulnerability, in an outpatient clinic or in the community. It also invests in preventing risky behaviors and promoting healthy lifestyles.
Unit W+ enhances the adhesion of the population at risk, through an interdisciplinary intervention, using innovative responses to meet each case.
Organized in 3 groups, children, teenagers and adults, its transversal philosophy is the continuous adaptation to the different stages of the Person’s life cycle.
Operating since 2003, the Unit has received recognition for its in various areas within Mental health, namely the 2019 Award for Good Practices in Psychology from the Ordem dos Psicólogos – Southern Delegation, which constitutes an incentive for the continuity and development of new responses.
The collaboration with the New Medical School/Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Universidade NOVA through a new Learning Programme in the undergraduate teaching of the Integrated Master’s Course in Medicine, allows 4th year students to have a morning of practical classes at Unit W+, with the purpose of disseminating good practices in working with adolescents.

Revolving Entrance Door
The user can access the service, attending the different responses available, whether the most conventional ones in terms of health (for example, consultations), or others specially designed for users who find it difficult to join this type of response (such as groups, therapeutic theatre, creative expression, sports practice, among others.

Screening
The screening includes a biopsychosocial assessment and takes place at 3 different times.
First it is prepared by a psychologist involving an evaluation of the user’s stage of development in terms of preparation for change. The fact that the screening is carried out by a psychologist allows an evaluation of intrapsychic factors which determine not only the admission, the degree of risk, but also the scope of the evaluation.
Nursing screening allows a global look at the user’s health status and, finally, a social service technician prepares a social evaluation, closing the integrating look required in a first contact.

Individual (Psycho) Therapeutic Plan
After screening, in an interdisciplinary team, an individual (psycho) therapeutic plan (PTI) is drawn up. Each user is seen as a unique and unrepeatable reality. Thus, the referrals made obey a logic of creating responses according to the needs of each person and not just fitting them in previously formatted responses.

W+ Community Intervention
It is the Unit’s technicians who, working in the community, identify and evaluate the needs of the population with the aim of referring them to the Unit, in continuous consultation and assessment of the real needs detected. This dynamic provides a concerted dissemination/intervention between the community and the Unit, offering an immediate health response of an innovative nature.

Use of community leaders
Positive health models in awareness-raising and intervention actions. These mediators are users of the Unit W+ who, due to their profile and therapeutic path, begin to intervene with their peers, thus promoting a change in risk behaviors.

Participation in the training of medical students
The W + Unit, through its core of adolescents, collaborates with the New Medical School/Faculty of Medical Sciences of Universidade NOVA in a new Learning Programme in undergraduate teaching of the Integrated Masters Course in Medicine. The work developed at W+ is an example of innovation and good practices in working with teenagers.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES
Psychology
- Provision of care in the area of Psychological/Mental Health
- Prevention of disease and risk behaviors
- Promotion of healthy behaviors
Nursing
- Health promotion
- Provision of nursing care
Psychiatry
- Provision of health care in the field of Mental Health
Occupational Therapy
- Intervention with a weak population and/or with occupational dysfunctions
- Postural correction
- Pilates
Social Service
- Evaluation, monitoring, referral and articulation with other services / community
General and Family Medicine Consultation
- Provision of care in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health / General and Family Medicine
Sport activity
- Individual / group monitoring framed in therapeutic intervention