BACKGROUND:
Mental health services play a central role in meeting the needs of people suffering from mental illness. In Brazil, Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) are essential components of the Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS), providing comprehensive care across the country. Analyzing the socioeconomic profile and health conditions of CAPS users is fundamental to understanding the social determinants of mental health and strengthening public mental health policies geared toward equity.

METHODS:
This study is retrospective and descriptive. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, based on documentary analysis of the census of users of a CAPS II providing daily care in Cariacica, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables were analyzed in a sample of 30 patients who agreed to participate in the study.

RESULTS:
The sample showed a predominance of cisgender women (56.7%), heterosexual individuals (76.7%), and those aged 50–59 years (30%). Most participants self-identified as black or brown (53%), had low levels of education—mainly incomplete elementary school (46.7%)—and belonged to the lowest socioeconomic classes (D–E, 50%). The most frequent diagnoses were schizophrenia (33.3%) and bipolar affective disorder (22.2%). Most users (66.7%) reported no clinical comorbidities. Regarding medication management, 56.7% reported autonomy, while 36.7% required support.

CONCLUSIONS:
The analysis highlights the need to strengthen the Brazilian Psychosocial Care Network, including the municipalization of services and the effective implementation of Ordinance No. 3,088/2011. The fragility of the network, combined with social stigma, contributes to the chronicity of users, limiting autonomy and undermining the deinstitutionalization processes of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. There is a need for consistent municipal structures and the incorporation of territorial strategies, such as aquilombação, to offer care aligned with the local reality.