Reporting a worrisome situation

Anyone who has serious concerns about someone who is a danger to themselves or others because of a psychiatric condition can report it to the municipality. The report should be made to the municipality where the person with mental health problems lives. It is a notification under the Compulsory Mental Health Care Act (Wvggz).

After your report, the municipality investigates whether mandatory Health may be needed. Mandatory Mental Health is a last resort and is used only when no other solution is really possible. It is of course preferable to provide appropriate help and Health earlier and on a voluntary basis to residents who need it. When a report is made, we always enter into conversation with the reporter and we always try to speak with the person involved themselves. In an exploratory investigation, we look at a number of issues:

• Does there indeed seem to be a mental disorder?
• How serious is the situation, how do we estimate the likelihood that the person is a danger to himself or others?
• Are there any opportunities for volunteer Health or help?

If the municipality believes it is necessary to deploy mandatory Health , the municipality asks the District Attorney to apply to the court for a care authorization. The Prosecutor asks an independent psychiatrist to conduct further investigation and to make a medical assessment that mental health problems really exist. The judge ultimately decides, based in part on the medical assessment, whether mandatory Health will be initiated.

Mandatory Health is very invasive for the person involved. It is deployed only when there really is no other option. Compulsory Health does not mean that the person is always hospitalized; Health may also be used at home.

Acute crisis?

Note: Is there an acute crisis? Call the family doctor or his or her replacement. The family physician may refer to the crisis service. Is there acute danger or acute emergency? Then call the emergency number 112.