A graduated and coordinated healthcare : from proximity to specialized care
In psychiatry, all of French departments are split into geographical areas called « sectors» (each one assuming mental healthcare services for an average of 70 000 inhabitants). In each sector, a dedicated team delivers all the psychiatric care, the prevention and the social reinsertion to all the inhabitants of the area. In other words, depending on the living area, a mental healthcare team is available next to the patient’s home, if need be.
Each psychiatry sector has several care places: Centre médico-psychologique (CMP), centre d’accueil thérapeutique à temps partiel (CATTP), day hospital, crisis center, post-care center, spcialized care and hospitalization unit.
The centre-médico-psychologique is the unavoidable place for a patient to receive care.
To meet a psychiatrist, anyone can go to the nearest Centre Médico-Psychologique of their living place. There, patients are not obliged to pay for the medical fee in advance. The first evaluation is made by a nurse who guides, if need be, the patient towards a psychiatrist. He works with a multi-professional team, composed by nurses, social assistants, psychologists, medical secretaries and other specialized professionals.
In case of an emergency, Emergencies Services of the hospitals, the centres d’accueil et de crise or the Centre Psychiatrie d’Orientation et d’Accueil receive people whose health status needs a fast intervention. They are connected to the public services of psychiatry to ensure the continuity of the care.
