Management Strategies for Psychiatric Emergencies in a Community Setting. The Role of the Crisis Team at the Trento Mental Health Centre.

Abstract

The Mental Health Service of Trento has consistently adopted a community-based, recovery-oriented approach. Adhering to these paradigms, and aiming to facilitate an intervention centred on the individual and their needs within their familial and social context, it is imperative to ensure a prompt and effective response to crises at the community level. Psychiatric emergencies present a significant challenge for health systems globally. Timely and appropriate management of these crises is crucial to prevent negative short and long-term outcomes. Providing such management in an extra-hospital setting, adaptable to the situational needs, can enable the individual to better achieve their recovery goals. Trento, with its dedicated Crisis service and the active involvement of Peer Support Specialists ("ESP" in italian), exemplifies how an integrated, multidisciplinary territorial approach that values the role of the socio-family context can enhance the outcomes of acute psychopathological crises and user engagement. This article discusses the organisation, advantages, and challenges compared to intra-hospital management, and the impact this intervention can have on public stigma regarding mental health.