Crisis planning

What is crisis planning?

Crisis planning involves people planning for their care in the event of a future mental health crisis. Types of crisis planning vary, however, they all strive to incorporate a person’s preferences for the care they would like to receive, as well as care they want to refuse, during a crisis. Joint plans are developed collaboratively between the patient and mental health professionals.

Crisis planning may help prevent relapse by promoting better self-management. They may reduce the need for hospital admissions by encouraging prompt help-seeking or improved community service responses. They may also encourage patients to accept voluntary hospital admissions should a crisis occur.

What is the evidence for crisis planning?

High quality evidence finds a 25% reduction in compulsory psychiatric hospital admission rates in people receiving crisis planning compared to standard care. There were no differences in the rates of voluntary psychiatric hospitalisations.

September 2020

Last updated at: 12:53 am, 11th September 2020
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