Cooperation Among Three Institutions Including Mentos Hospital
Support for Rapid Admission and Treatment
On October 27, Gwangjin District in Seoul (Mayor Kyungho Kim) announced that it has officially launched the operation of dedicated public psychiatric emergency beds at Mentos Hospital (49 Hancheon-ro, Dongdaemun-gu), which are available 24 hours a day. As a result, residents facing crises due to mental illness can now receive emergency admission and treatment promptly.
From the left, Seunghyun Yoon, Director of Mentos Hospital; Kyungho Kim, Mayor of Gwangjin District Office; Jaeyoung Park, Chief of Gwangjin Police Station; Yongho Park, Chief of Gwangjin Fire Station. Provided by Gwangjin District Office.
A psychiatric emergency refers to a situation that poses a serious threat to the life or safety of the patient or others. Previously, a shortage of beds often delayed the admission process, but with the establishment of these dedicated beds, immediate response is now possible even during nights, weekends, and other emergencies.
To ensure effective operation, Gwangjin District has signed a business agreement on the operation of public psychiatric emergency beds with Mentos Hospital, Gwangjin Police Station, and Gwangjin Fire Station. The district office is responsible for budget support and overall project management, the hospital is in charge of creating a therapeutic environment and patient care, and the police and fire stations handle on-site dispatch and rapid transport, thereby strengthening the cooperation system.
Mayor Kyungho Kim of Gwangjin District stated, "Mental health is a fundamental element of life that must be protected," adding, "We will do our best to operate emergency public beds so that residents can lead stable lives, and we will continue to provide necessary support in cooperation with related agencies."
Meanwhile, Gwangjin District has been consistently providing treatment for severe mental illness, rehabilitation, and mental health promotion services to residents through its Mental Health Welfare Center. After emergency patients are discharged from public beds, they will be connected to the center for ongoing case management to support stable recovery.
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