The Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim is successfully continuing its work in research and patient care and continues to show stable economic development. The number of outpatient, day-care and inpatient cases has increased further compared to previous years. 1,575 employees (1,496 in 2021) work together to further improve services for people with mental illnesses and to research new therapies. The annual report provides insights into this multifaceted work.
Breaking new ground in psychiatric therapy research with AI
The need for new, effective therapeutic approaches to mental illness is great. With the establishment of the Hector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry (HITKIP), CIMH is pursuing the goal of using artificial intelligence to uncover the causes of mental illness and improve treatment at the individual level. Researchers use artificial intelligence methods to identify patterns in highly complex data sets. Thanks to a grant from the Hector Foundation II, CIMH's expertise in this area is being taken to a new level.
Researchers have raised 16.3 million euros in third party funding, which is two million more than in 2021. In the high-funding research projects, researchers are looking at psychedelics in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression, the development of chronic pain, the influencing factors in substance use disorders, and the influence of environmental factors on mental health, among other topics.
Change in the nursing management
The nursing and education service is the largest professional group at CIMH. The approximately 400 employees have close contact with patients, which is why they play a special role in the multi-professional teams in patient care. Doris Borgwedel took over as head of the nursing and education service at the beginning of 2023. The experienced expert in the field of psychiatric nursing has been working at CIMH for 16 years, since 2016 in the position of deputy director of nursing.
CIMH as a versatile employer
Diverse people and activities characterize CIMH. The employer campaign einzigartigWIR (uniquely us), launched in spring 2023, provides personal insights into the cooperation across occupational groups and shows what employees at CIMH particularly value. This has given rise to the new career website for the institute.