The Soteria at the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim has been successfully certified by the International Soteria Association (IAS). With a total score of 78 points on the Soteria Fidelity Scale, it is now officially one of the recognized Soteria facilities. “This is a really great success that recognizes our work and shows that we have implemented the Soteria ideas well here in Mannheim,” says Prof. Dr. Dusan Hirjak, Managing Senior Physician at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the CIMH. Together with Dr. Alexander Häge, senior physician at the Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Stefan Heintz, child and adolescent psychotherapist and Michaela Oster, Soteria team leader, he is responsible for implementing the concept at the CIMH.

Environment resembles a shared flat

In the Soteria at the CIMH, 16 to 24-year-old young people with schizophrenia receive continuous and comprehensive care. During their stay, which lasts several weeks, they live in an environment that resembles a shared flat. The concept takes into account the special needs in the transition phase from adolescence to adulthood and avoids the usual breaks in treatment between child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry.

Assessment based on international standards

As part of the certification process, Dr. Daniel Nischk (ZfP Reichenau) and Dr. Martin Voss (Charité Berlin) from the IAS visited the Soteria at the CIMH. The assessment was based on the internationally established Soteria Fidelity Scale, which translates the basic principles of the Soteria approach – such as equality, milieu therapy and de-escalation – into verifiable quality criteria. The award is reserved for facilities that meet the high standards of Soteria's founding fathers Loren Mosher and Luc Ciompi in a special way.

Familiar atmosphere

The experts were particularly impressed by the family atmosphere, the equality practiced between the team and patients and the close integration of the Soteria into the integrative care concept of the CIMH. The multi-professional team under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Dusan Hirjak, Dr. Alexander Häge, Stefan Heintz and Michaela Oster is highly committed to the further development of the Soteria concept.

We would like to congratulate the entire team on this outstanding achievement!