Begleitforschung Ereignisnachsorge
Between acute crisis support and long-term therapy lies a critical care gap for people affected by traumatic events. BFH evaluates how effectively the new Fachstelle Ereignisnachsorge in the Canton of Bern closes this gap.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Health Professions
- Institute(s) Nursing
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration (planned) 01.06.2026 - 30.11.2028
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Head of project
Dr. Julia Rehsmann
Sabrina Gröble -
Project staff
Dr. Claudia Poggiolini
Prof. Dr. Eva Soom Ammann
Katja Sara Brogli -
Partner
Ebnet Stiftung
Beisheim Stiftung
Fachstelle Ereignisnachsorge - Keywords Accompanying research, Post-incident care, Psychosocial health, Pilot project, Canton of Bern, Health services research, Mixed methods, Impact evaluation
Situation
Every year, many people in the Canton of Bern experience accidents, sudden bereavement or violence – events that can cause severe psychological distress. In the acute phase, those affected are often supported by emergency services and care teams, but this support ends after a few days. Securing a therapy place can then take months. During this gap, people are left to cope on their own. This increases the risk that acute stress reactions develop into chronic mental health conditions – with serious consequences for individuals and the healthcare system. The newly established Fachstelle Ereignisnachsorge addresses this gap in the Canton of Bern through a three-year pilot project. It offers free, low-threshold short-term counselling to private individuals during the critical transition phase between acute support and possible therapy. BFH provides the scientific monitoring and evaluation of this pilot project from June 2026 to June 2028. The aim is to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the service and to generate evidence for its further development.
Course of action
The accompanying research combines quantitative and qualitative methods to capture the impact of the counselling sessions from multiple perspectives. Standardised assessments document changes in stress symptoms among all service users at three points in time: at the start of counselling, at its conclusion, and six months later. The validated PTSS-10 questionnaire is used to measure post-traumatic stress symptoms. In-depth interviews with around 15 service users explore subjective experiences, perceived effects and suggestions for improvement. These qualitative insights contextualise the quantitative findings and bring unexpected effects to light. Semi-annual professional exchanges with the Fachstelle's leadership and counsellors complement the user perspective with the view from practice. Interim findings are jointly reflected upon, and concrete recommendations for refining the service are developed.
Result
The accompanying research generates an empirical basis for three purposes. First, it provides the Fachstelle Ereignisnachsorge with continuous feedback that feeds directly into the development of the counselling service. Semi-annual analyses and professional exchanges enable ongoing quality development throughout the pilot phase. Second, the interim report (early 2027) and the final report (early 2028) provide a robust basis for deciding whether and how the service can be integrated into the cantonal healthcare system as a regular offering after the pilot phase. Third, good-practice recommendations are developed jointly with the Fachstelle. These can serve as orientation for other cantons and organisations seeking to establish comparable services. The findings will additionally be disseminated through academic publications.
