[Social legislative and structural deficits of ambulatory management of chronic psychiatric and handicapped patients]

Abstract

In the past 25 years, psychiatric care for the chronically mentally ill in Germany has improved steadily. However, has improved steadily. However, this patient group continues to be discriminated against, especially in the sphere of outpatient care. The mentally ill often do not meet the requirements that the respective social security agencies, i.e. in particular pension and health insurance, set out for the granting of benefits. Moreover, contrary to scientific knowledge, measures aimed at the treatment of social disabilities are defined not as psychiatric rehabilitation measures, but as measures of social integration. For these reasons welfare is highly overrepresented in the financing of rehabilitation for the mentally ill. In recent years, legislators have attempted to compensate certain cases of discrimination. Significant legislative changes and administrative developments are described and discussed in terms of their implications.