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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Psychiatric emergency services and their relationships with mental health network in Brazil

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Author(s):
Régis Eric Maia Barros [1] ; Teng Chei Tung [2] ; Jair de Jesus Mari
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento - Brasil
[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina de São Paulo. Departamento de Psiquiatria - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria; v. 32, p. S71-S77, 2010-10-00.
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature concerning the role and the inclusion of emergency psychiatric services in mental health networks. METHOD: We performed a search in online databases (PubMed and SciELO) of empirical articles and reviews about emergency psychiatric services and networks of mental health services. RESULTS: Emergency psychiatric services are a core unit for a proper functioning of mental health networks, by both the management of emergencies itself, and the regulation of the network where it belongs. The emergency psychiatric services relate to all inpatient and outpatient services, allowing the organization of the flow of admissions and avoiding the overload of the network of mental health.The functions of emergency psychiatric services are broad and go beyond the simple referral for hospitalization, since clinical stabilization and psychosocial support can be reached in well structured emergency psychiatric services. In Brazil, these functions were expanded after the mental health reform and the burden of mental health network caused by difficulties and limitations of inpatient and outpatient services. CONCLUSION: Emergency psychiatric services should be recovered and expanded; especially those located in general hospitals. It is suggested that investment in psychiatric emergencies should be a priority of the Brazilian public health policies for improving the mental health care. (AU)