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New Open Station” project in Eberswalde relieves the burden on the prison system
Health State Secretary Patrick Wahl speaks at the topping-out ceremony in Eberswalde about the construction of an open ward for the penal system.
New Open Station” project in Eberswalde relieves the burden on the prison system
Something is happening in the area of forensic psychiatry in Brandenburg! The topping-out ceremony for the new open ward in the GLG Martin Gropius Hospital in Eberswalde took place last Thursday. The State Secretary for Health Patrick Wahl did not miss the opportunity to speak on site and emphasized the great importance of this measure for the therapeutic care of mentally ill people. The Free State is investing around 10.2 million euros in the construction, which is intended to noticeably relieve the occupancy situation in the prison system. Around 20 additional places are planned, which will offer new therapy options. The completion date is scheduled for spring 2026.
Eberswalde is one of only two correctional clinics in Brandenburg, the other being in Brandenburg an der Havel. The penal system is important because it is responsible for the accommodation of people with serious mental disorders who have committed crimes and pose a danger to the general public. There are currently 269 regular treatment places in Brandenburg, with 310 offenders being accommodated in 2023. This leads to overcrowding, which is clearly evident in both Eberswalde and Brandenburg an der Havel: in the Eberswalde clinic there was an overcrowding of 19.6%, while the clinic in Brandenburg an der Havel was 14%.
Necessary construction measures and future plans
In order to counteract these problems, extensive renovations and new buildings are planned. As part of renovations, around 60 additional places are to be created throughout Brandenburg, and five smoking rooms are also to be converted in Brandenburg an der Havel in order to accommodate up to ten additional patients. A new building with 40 places is also being planned for around 19 million euros. The construction in Eberswalde is particularly important because the open ward will offer patients more freedom: They live there in single rooms and have the opportunity to integrate into society, albeit under controlled conditions.
The enforcement of measures is not only a state task that is regulated in the Brandenburg Mental Health Act (BbgPsychKG), but it also plays a central role in the question of resocialization and patient autonomy. There are numerous challenges, as a significant number of patients often remain in the facility longer than the prison sentence imposed. According to current statistics, one in three patients has been in prison for more than ten years.
Personnel situation in forensic psychiatry
Staffing in forensic facilities is also a major issue. With a total of nine doctors, 67 therapists and 293 nursing and educational service employees, the industry is fighting against an increasing shortage of staff and difficulties in ensuring the quality of care. There are also overloads in correctional facilities nationwide, such as in Berlin, where 620 patients are cared for in 549 planned beds.
Given the challenges and all the measures currently underway in Brandenburg, it remains to be seen how the situation in the penal system and the providers of forensic psychiatry will develop in the next few years. One thing is certain: the path to improvement is in full swing!