🚨 Acute treatment and crisis service
In brief
If you are thinking about suicide right now or are in acute danger: Call the emergency number 112 or the TelefonSeelsorge (telephone counselling service) immediately – free of charge, anonymous, around the clock: 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 (telefonseelsorge.de). You do not have to wait for an appointment to become free.
To be distinguished from this is psychotherapeutic acute treatment: a statutory health insurance service for people with urgent but not life-threatening treatment need, used as a bridge until regular therapy begins. It does not replace an emergency call or hospital admission in case of acute self-endangerment.
Step by step
- Report acute danger immediatelyIn case of immediate suicide risk: emergency number 112, TelefonSeelsorge (0800 111 0 111 / 0800 111 0 222) or go directly to the nearest psychiatric emergency room – around the clock, no appointment needed.
- Look up your regional crisis serviceMany federal states and municipalities run their own psychiatric crisis services (e.g. Berliner Krisendienst, Krisendienste Bayern) offering telephone and in some cases outreach help – note the number in advance, as services differ depending on where you live.
- Contact the social psychiatric service of the public health officeThe social psychiatric service (Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst) advises and arranges help in mental health crises, even without acute danger to life, regardless of insurance status.
- Initiate acute treatment via the practice or 116117For urgent but not acutely life-threatening need, a psychotherapist provides acute treatment or arranges it via 116117 (certificate PTV 11).
- Organise aftercareAfter an acute crisis, further treatment (therapy place, hospital stay if needed) should follow promptly so that the crisis does not fizzle out without consequences.
Deadlines
- Psychiatric crisis services in Germany are a matter for the federal states and are not organised uniformly nationwide – there is no single nationwide crisis service number other than the TelefonSeelsorge and the emergency number 112.
- Statutory "acute treatment" is not emergency care – in case of acute danger to yourself or others, always use the emergency number or the emergency room.
- Relatives may and should call the emergency number themselves if they recognise danger, even if the person affected refuses.
- As a precaution, save the TelefonSeelsorge number and the number of a regional crisis service in your phone before a crisis occurs.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
TelefonSeelsorge
The TelefonSeelsorge is available nationwide, free of charge, anonymously and around the clock at 0800 111 0 111 and 0800 111 0 222 as well as via the Europe-wide harmonised number 116 123. Staff are bound to confidentiality; a call does not lead to any automatic referral to authorities.
Regional crisis services – no uniform nationwide system
Psychiatric crisis services are organised by states, districts or municipalities and differ in availability and scope of services. Examples: the Krisendienste Bayern (around the clock, 0800 655 3000) or the Berliner Krisendienst. A complete, up-to-date overview of all services in all 16 federal states was not available to this research; if in doubt, ask the municipality, the public health office or the TelefonSeelsorge for the responsible office locally.
Acute treatment under the Psychotherapy Guideline
Acute treatment was introduced in 2017 as a separate service component to bridge waiting times until the start of regular therapy. It comprises brief interventions and in urgent cases can be started even without a prior consultation hour; the costs are borne by statutory health insurance.
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.