Therapeutic alliance, social inclusion and infection control - Towards pandemic-adapted mental health care services in Switzerland

The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged the Swiss mental health care system. Many services were downsized or closed and admission to treatment and care institutions was restricted during lockdown. While these measures were necessary according to the general containment and mitigation strategies of federal and cantonal authorities, this situation has had negative consequences for care and treatment of service users. This paper asks to re-think key aspects of the Swiss mental health care system that have demonstrated to be not adaptable to the pandemic. In particular, the paper suggests diversifying care and treatment settings and strengthening outpatient and outreach services. Finally, some proposals to foster social inclusion during and after the pandemic are outlined