Rationale and content of psychenet: the Hamburg Network for Mental Health

Abstract

With the public-funded research and development project psychenet: the Hamburg Network for Mental Health (2011-2014), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research contributes to strengthening healthcare regions in Germany by establishing new trans-sectoral cooperations and implement and evaluate selected innovations. More than 60 partners from research, health care, health industry and government in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg are promoting innovative measures to improve the treatment for mental disorders. The main objective is to implement integrated healthcare networks based on evidence for effective treatment methods, deriving from high-quality research throughout five indications such as psychosis, depression, somatoform and functional syndromes, anorexia and bulimia and addiction illnesses in adolescence. Those networks are accompanied by additional measures, for example, for improving information and education, addressing occupational health or strengthening the participation of patients and their families suffering from mental illness.