Matrix support in mental health: a tool for support in care in crisis situations

Crisis attention and matrix support are crucial to the strengthening of psychosocial care in the psychosocial care network. Using matrix-like actions of a CAPS II team as a starting point, this paper discusses the influence of matrix support in crisis care. Being an interventional research, we used interviews and conversation sessions with service workers. Aiming to promote expansion in reception and care capacity of the Family Health Strategy teams, the matrix support proved to be a supportive tool for care in crisis situations, by preventing situations of crisis or addressing them before they get worse, avoiding more invasive interventions as the use of police, physical force, compulsory admission to emergency room, hospitalization and to the CAPS. This set of facilitating characteristics unveiled a mediator potential of the matrix tool for setting up schemes of crisis care based on the psychosocial model.