The Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim continues to develop positively. Almost 1,700 employees are working together with expertise and great dedication to support people with mental illnesses. The annual report provides insights into the diverse work at the CIMH - in patient care, research, administration and the service areas.
Culturally sensitive treatment in psychiatry
People with little knowledge of German or different cultural backgrounds often encounter barriers in the healthcare system, particularly in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Language problems and cultural differences make it difficult to access treatment services, while those providing treatment are often unsure how to deal with foreign cultures. The new Transcultural Outpatient Clinic at the CIMH offers people with a history of migration understanding, culturally sensitive treatment in different languages. Find out more about the Transcultural Outpatient Clinic and the importance of culturally sensitive treatment in psychiatry.
Linking treatment and medical research
Every year, around 16,000 patients are treated at the CIMH as inpatients, day patients or outpatients. Every single person has their own health history. With their individual characteristics and life circumstances, each person can contribute to an even better understanding and treatment of mental illness in the future. Treatment and research therefore go hand in hand at the diagnosis and admission center.
Digital health applications as a low-threshold offer
We also highlight the opportunities offered by digital health applications in the area of health promotion, prevention and therapy. Young people in particular, who often take a long time to access the psychiatric care system, are open to app-based training. The effectiveness of such an application was scientifically investigated at the CIMH in the EMIcompass study, for example. Various exercises and content were suggested to study participants via app and could be easily integrated into their everyday lives.
State-of-the-art 7 Tesla technology
We report on the delivery of the 7 Tesla MRI, which enables a previously unattainable resolution in the imaging of the human brain. The aim is to better understand the causes and mechanisms of mental illness and to develop new, individualized treatment approaches. At the CIMH, new therapies are being researched using functional, biochemical and structural imaging to visualize brain functions and investigate diseases at the cellular level.
Promoting animal welfare in research
The CIMH, the University Medical Center Mannheim and the University of Heidelberg form the 3R Center Rhine-Neckar. Together they want to reduce the number of animal experiments, reduce the stress on laboratory animals and ensure high data quality. Funding for the 3R Center Rhine-Neckar from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts has now been extended - an occasion for Minister Petra Olschowski to visit the CIMH.
Take a moment and have a look! You can download the CIMH Annual Report 2023/24 here.