Greece is preparing to launch what some are already calling the country’s first “psychiatric ambulance” service — a specialized emergency unit designed to replace police involvement in the transport of people experiencing acute mental health crises.
The initiative, currently in the planning stage, comes amid growing concern over Greece’s alarming rates of involuntary psychiatric admissions — the highest in Europe. According to data from the Ministry of Health and international health networks, more than half of all psychiatric hospital admissions in Greece occur under prosecutor’s orders, compared with less than 15% in most European countries, and just 5% in Portugal.
Police Handcuffs Instead of Care
Today, when someone is reported to be in mental distress, the response typically involves a police car, not an ambulance. The individual is taken — often in handcuffs — directly to a psychiatric hospital without first being assessed by a doctor.
At the Attica Psychiatric Hospital (ΨΝΑ) alone, up to 13 people per shift are brought in by police for mandatory examination. Nationwide, that number reaches around 80 forced admissions per day, with 1,100 people hospitalized in 2024 through this procedure.
This heavy-handed approach has drawn sharp criticism, not only from health experts but also from the European Union, which has urged Greece to finally enforce its 33-year-old mental health law. That law requires that a person may only be admitted involuntarily after examination by two psychiatrists within ten days, except in extreme emergencies. In practice, however, nearly all cases are treated as emergencies — leading to immediate confinement without proper medical assessment.
A New Model: The “Psychiatric EKAB”
To change that, the Ministry of Health is working with the National Emergency Center (EKAB), the Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY), and researchers from the University of the Peloponnese to develop a new model of psychiatric emergency response.
The plan envisions 25 specially equipped ambulances staffed by trained nurses and paramedics — and, ideally, accompanied by psychiatrists — to respond to mental health emergencies with care rather than force.
“These vehicles will have no police markings or uniforms to avoid stigmatizing patients and their families,” explains Giorgos Charalambous, president of EKAB. “Our teams are undergoing fast-track training because not all first responders are currently equipped to manage such sensitive cases.”
The pilot phase will begin in Athens and Thessaloniki, with four ambulances operating in the capital and two in the northern city. If successful, the program will expand nationwide by early 2027.
Toward a More Humane Mental Health System
The initiative marks a long-overdue step toward humanizing Greece’s mental health system — a system where patients in crisis have too often been treated like criminals.
By shifting responsibility from law enforcement to healthcare professionals, the government hopes to reduce stigma, improve patient safety, and finally bring Greece in line with European standards of psychiatric care.
