Psychiatry In Mannheim

Psychiatry in Mannheim is organized by the Central Institute of Mental Health (Zentralinstitut fur Seelische Gesundheit), which is a source of inspiration for both German and international psychiatry. Through allocation of resources, provident politicians and administrators ensure a high level of service: today, the number of psychiatric beds is 1.5 per 1000 inhabitants (15 years or older), a number that will soon be increased to 1.6-1.7. To this must be added a well-developed community psychiatric system. The provision of services is directed and co-ordinated by the Central Institute. Since psychiatric illness often coincides with somatic disease, a specialist in internal medicine is in charge of a psychiatric ward for patients with severe medical diseases. Psychologists experienced in behavioural and cognitive therapy influence both the treatment and the research. The main research areas are psychiatric epidemiology, social psychiatry, and biologic psychiatry. Primarily, the research is carried out by independent research units co-operating closely with the clinical services. The clinical departments have given priority to the training of the staff, and a high level of education has been reached.