Mandatory psychological care

Sometimes someone has serious psychological problems, but that person does not want professional help. This can sometimes cause serious danger to themselves or others. Sometimes mandatory psychological care can be imposed with a crisis measure or care authorization. You can then report it to the municipal reporting point under the Compulsory Mental Health Care Act (Wvggz).

What do you need to know

  • Mandatory psychological care is regulated in the Mandatory Mental Health Care Act (Wvggz)
  • Clients and family have a say in what the care will look like. Staying at home and continuing to work, but with mandatory medication, can therefore also be a possibility
  • There are 2 ways in which mandatory care can be imposed:
  • If the behavior is due to an intellectual disability or psychogeriatric disorder (such as dementia), you must report this to the Care Assessment Center (Centrum Indicatiestelling Zorg).CIZ). These notifications fall under the Care and Coercion Act (Wzd). Mandatory psychological care is called detention in the Wzd

What do you have to do

You yourself have psychological complaints:

  • Call your GP. You can connect them to the crisis service
  • Outside office hours you can call the out-of-hours GP service via 088 130 96 00
  • Call us 113 if you are thinking about suicide

Someone needs urgent help:

  • Call the police 0800 8844 if someone behaves erratically or aggressively
  • Call us 112 if there is an emergency

You are concerned about someone because of their behavior, but no urgent help is needed. This can people with confused behavior that you may or may not know well. 

Notification of the Compulsory Mental Health Care Act (Wvggz)

What happens to your report

  1. The municipal employees will assess your report. For example, they will investigate whether the behavior is dangerous and whether voluntary care is possible. The employees will assess whether the report is eligible for exploratory research
    • This investigation must be completed within 14 days
  2. You will receive the outcome of the Exploratory Investigation if you are the representative, marriage partner, registered partner, parent, carer or 'essential close relative for the continuity of care'. If you do not belong to this group, you will not receive the result
  3. If the employees believe that a care authorization should be applied for, they will send this application to the Public Prosecutor. It assesses whether the application will go to court
  4. Only the court can decide whether mandatory care should be imposed

Help for patients

You have the right to make your wishes heard. And you have the right to help from a patient confidant (pvp). You can contact PVP Foundation:

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