[Quality assurance in and by social psychiatry service]

The quality control aspects of Sociopsychiatric Service within the Public Health Services are described. Besides their function as information centres for patients with severe psychiatric symptoms, crisis intervention, expert opinions as well as visiting services, their main task is to coordinate psychiatric services within the framework of German social legislation. The conditions and management of the Sociopsychiatric Service in Kassel, and how this contributes to quality control in the region, are cited as examples.