[Framework for qualified inpatient withdrawal treatment of alcoholics in North Rhine-Westphalia]

The programme against addiction, set up by the Ministry for Women, Family, Youth and Health of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany and with broad participation from all groups concerned (MfjFG 1999), seeks the improvement of qualified in-patient withdrawal-treatment for alcoholics. Under the leadership of a district administration, a congress comprising seven one-day workshops was held for representatives of the Ministry, health insurance funds, pension insurance carriers and physicians. They agreed on the basic concept outlined below. Low-threshold access, diversity of essential treatment goals, financial obligation on the part of the regular health insurances, nursing staff, physicians, social workers, and non-verbal therapists according to the decree for psychiatric hospitals in Germany (Bundesregierung 1990), a regular in-patient-period for uncomplicated detoxification and motivation of up to 21 days, prolonged in justified cases up to six weeks, and the integration in the regional help-system for persons with substance-use related problems are essential features of this concept.