[Organization of telephone counseling for psychosocial emergencies. An evaluation after 12 months]

To improve the community-based health care in the area of Bonn a telephone consulting service and a mobile crisis intervention service have been established during a two year pilot project. The regional needs and structural demands have been assessed.

During the first 12 months the number of calls increased from 15 in November 1996 to 76 in October 1997. In all, 432 calls were received. Most calls lasted from 10 to 30 minutes. 89% of the callers were female, 77% were in the age range between 30 and 45 years. Two-thirds of the callers had prior psychiatric treatments. Most callers suffered from loneliness and deficient coping strategies.

The prove regional demands have led to a continuation of the project and an extension of the mobile crisis intervention service.