Reshaping Community Mental Health Services during the COVID-19 Epidemic - Report from the 59G21 Service in Lille, France

• Published in: Health services insights Vol. 13; pp. 117863292095487 - 1178632920954876
• Main Authors: Antoine, Baleige, Nicolas, Daumerie, Laurent, Defromont
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 2020; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: community mental health services; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Health services; Human health and pathology; human rights; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; Mental health; Methodology; organization and administration; Psychiatrics and mental health; risk assessment; Santé publique et épidémiologie; France; COVID-19; risk assessment; organization and administration; mental health; community mental health services; human rights
• ISSN: 1178-6329; 1178-6329
• DOI: 10.1177/1178632920954876

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transformation of the health care system to cope with the risk of contamination and of developing a severe form of the infection. Although it is an international crisis, strategies have been decided nationally. In France, priority was given to hospital reorganization, especially intensive care units. Reorganization of primary health and mental health services took place with late and inadequate national guidelines or coordination. For mental health services, lack of visibility on the crisis impact on mental health, and difficulties in defining their place in the overall health strategy appeared as the main challenges to overcome. These rapid transformations impacted the whole organization of community mental health care. Any strategies developed must ensure that every person enjoys the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Using a systemic approach, it has been necessary to identify both status and risk factors of communities, and to implement appropriate and efficient health promotion and crisis resolution actions. These theoretical issues and their practical impact are discussed using the field strategy developed during the first 28 days of confinement by the 59G21 service in Lille, France.