[Users' Experiences with Psychosocial Counselling Services in a Community Mental Health Centre].

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of users experiences with a low-threshold psychosocial counselling and case management service across separate sectors (e. g., outpatient, inpatient) and legal provisions (e. g., V and XII Books of Social Code).

METHODS: Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using content analysis.

RESULTS: Several aspects of the users' experiences with counselling services have contributed towards their satisfaction with the service. The importance of short waiting times and the on-call telephone service as well as sufficient time taken for consultations, the availability of outreach counselling and the quality of the relationship with the counsellor were all highlighted. Potential for improvement was seen in the visibility of the service in the community.

CONCLUSION: The investigated counselling and case management service can help to provide a low-threshold crisis intervention and could place users in more custom-fit community integration services.