Click here to find psychologists and psychiatrist covered by your Dutch health insurance
Finding the right mental health practitioner can be a daunting task, especially when you are already struggling with mental health issues. Fortunately, in the Netherlands, there is a website called Choosing in mental health care that offers an overview of practitioners to choose from, along with information about complaints, disorders, and possible treatments. The website is a joint effort between MIND National Platform for Mental Health, Zorgverzekeraars Nederland, and other sector and professional associations in the mental health care sector.
To use the website, it is important to first know more about your complaint or condition and which possible treatments are available for you. If you already have a diagnosis, you can use it to search within Choosing in mental health care. The website also provides information about the providers of care, the quality of care, and about the reimbursements for care.
Mental health care in the Netherlands is provided by the GGZ (Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg), which translates to mental health care. The GGZ is a system of care that is divided into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Primary care is provided by the general practitioner (GP), who is often the first point of contact for people with mental health issues. The GP can offer immediate help and the right referral. In the evenings and at weekends, you can go to the out-of-hours GP service.
If you need more specialized care, you can be referred to secondary care. This includes mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists. These practitioners are covered by different insurance companies, so it is important to check your policy to see which providers are covered. The Choosing website can help you with this by providing information on the reimbursement of care.
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or are worried about someone else, you can contact Stichting 113 Suicide Prevention or call 0900-0113. If you need someone to talk to about your mental health issues, you can contact MIND Correlation or call 0900-1450.
In summary, choosing the right mental health practitioner in the Netherlands can be made easier by using the Choosing in mental health care website. It is important to first know more about your complaint or condition and which possible treatments are available for you. If you need more specialized care, you can be referred to secondary care, which includes mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists. It is also important to check your insurance policy to see which providers are covered. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or need someone to talk to, there are resources available such as Stichting 113 Suicide Prevention and MIND Correlation.
Click here to find psychologists and psychiatrist covered by your Dutch health insurance.