Mental-health care in the Netherlands: GP referrals, costs, waiting lists and crisis help

Book a normal GP appointment and explain what has changed, how long it has lasted, and what you can no longer manage. The huisarts may help directly or involve the POH-GGZ. This is GP care: basic insurance covers it and the mandatory deductible does not apply. A bedrijfsarts (company doctor) can also help with work-related problems and can refer you to the GGZ. If you do not yet have a GP, use the huisarts guide.

Insured GGZ normally needs a valid referral. Care that is needed immediately is an exception, so never delay acute help to obtain paperwork. If your huisarts refuses a referral, ask for the medical reason and the next step. Once you are already in the GGZ, a transfer to another GGZ provider does not normally require a new GP referral; the current provider can notify the next provider.

For adults, basic insurance covers geneeskundige GGZ (medical mental healthcare) when there is a DSM-5-classified disorder or a justified suspicion of one, the treatment is recognized effective care, and the referral and policy conditions are met. A diagnosis is an insurance condition; it does not decide whether your distress is real. If insured GGZ is not the right route, the huisarts, POH-GGZ, municipality, workplace or social support may still help.

Do not assume that every psychologist, therapy or complaint is covered. A naturapolis (in-kind policy) may pay less for a provider without an insurer contract, and some clinics need authorization before treatment. Ask the provider for the treatment code or expected care and ask the insurer: ‘Is this provider contracted, is this care covered, do I need permission, and what will I pay?’ Keep the written answer.

The GGZ Treeknormen (maximum acceptable waiting times) are four weeks from registration to intake and ten weeks from intake to the start of treatment. These are norms, not guaranteed appointment dates. Providers publish their waits. Since January 2026, the NZa derives waiting times for single-site providers from claims data; providers with several sites still submit monthly data. Ask for the current wait for your problem and location.

• Keep your place on the original waiting list while you search for an earlier option.
• Ask your insurer for zorgbemiddeling or wachtlijstbemiddeling (care or waiting-list mediation). Give the referral, provider, quoted dates, travel range, language needs and any clinical limits.
• Ask the huisarts or POH-GGZ for support while you wait. Contact them again if your symptoms or safety change.
• Ask several suitable providers about the intake wait and the treatment wait. Confirm contract and authorization before switching.

Your provider must explain the proposed diagnosis, treatment, alternatives, risks and expected result in language you can understand. You decide with the provider and may refuse or stop treatment. Ask who your regiebehandelaar (coordinating clinician) is, what the treatment plan says, when progress will be reviewed, and who to contact if you get worse.

A huisarts, psychiatrist or another legally authorized prescriber can prescribe mental-health medicines within their professional scope. An ordinary psychologist generally cannot prescribe. Covered medicines still use the deductible and may have a statutory co-payment. An insurer may prefer one brand; ask the prescriber or pharmacist about medical necessity if that option is not suitable. Never change or stop prescribed medicine without discussing it with the prescriber.

Tell the huisarts and provider before referral or intake if Dutch or English is not safe enough for treatment. Under the professional interpreter standard, the provider must assess the language barrier and decide whether a professional or other suitable interpreter is needed for safe care and informed consent. There is no automatic, identical payment route for every patient and provider. Ask who will arrange the interpreter and whether you could be charged before the appointment.

Most mental healthcare for people under 18 is jeugdhulp under the Jeugdwet (Youth Act), paid by the municipality. A huisarts, youth doctor or medical specialist can refer directly to youth GGZ, but use a provider accepted or contracted by the municipality. GP and POH-GGZ care and prescribed outpatient medicines can remain under health insurance. For consent: parents or guardians decide for a child under 12; from 12 to 15, the young person and parent or guardian normally decide together; from 16, the young person decides. Record-access rules change at the same ages.

For alcohol, drugs, gambling or another addiction, start with the huisarts. The huisarts can refer to specialist verslavingszorg (addiction care). Adult treatment is generally paid through health insurance when the conditions are met; treatment for someone under 18 usually falls under the Youth Act. Waiting lists and insurer mediation can also apply to adult addiction care.

The huisarts or huisartsenpost can involve the regional crisisdienst (crisis service), which is available day and night. You normally reach that team through the GP route. Acute care is not blocked by the normal referral or waiting-list process. For related practical steps, read the huisarts guide, the health-insurance guide and the eigen-risico guide.