From next week, two of Eindhoven’s suburbs will each get a dedicated mental health care worker.
On 15 March, a pilot project will be launched in Woensel-Zuid and Gestel. Each will get a mental health community worker. The project’s aim is two-fold.
Firstly, these people need to deal with the many ‘confused persons’ whose misunderstood behaviour causes a nuisance. The health care officer will focus on the areas of Oud-Woensel and Oud-Gestel.
Secondly, the Eindhoven City Council wants to ensure these people receive the correct help from the right place, in good time. The district health officer is supposed to help connect partners. These are those from the social, safety, and spatial domains.
Correct care
This increases the chance that someone with disturbed behaviour receives the correct kind of care and support on time. It also cuts down the risk of nuisance and its further escalation. Eindhoven’s Care and Welfare Councillor, Renate Richters, says, “In Eindhoven, the reports of people with misunderstood behaviour causing a nuisance have risen in the past year.”
“There are various developments aimed at getting mentally-troubled people to live in their own homes for as long as possible with or without supervision. This could be a reason for the increased nuisance. If, in the end, someone isn’t coping, quick intervention is needed.”
These local mental healthcare workers have social-psychiatric as well as physical knowledge. They, therefore, have a broad field of vision,” explains Cllr Richters. “These care workers don’t look at things from only the client’s perspective. They also consider the community’s needs.”
The pilot project will run for a year. It will then be evaluated. Based on this, the municipality will decide if this service will continue.
Source: Gemeente Eindhoven
Translator: Melinda Walraven
