Evaluating innovative mental health care in Germany

Thomas Becker, Annabel Stierlin, Reinhold Kilian, Ulm/Günzburg, Germany

There is an interest in innovative mental health service models in Germany. This comprises, among others, crisis intervention and home treatment service models and assertive community treatment teams. Innovative funding models are being put to test. There are several catchment areas in the country where care is provided according to a capitation funding model that gives a high degree of freedom to health care providers in what services they use to provide care for patients (Regionale Psychiatriebudgets). Models of this type are also used in so-called model projects on the basis of federal law (Modellvorhaben §64b SGBV). In Hamburg, a comprehensive community- and hospital-based service for people with severe mental illness has been implemented (IV Vertrag) and put to test in the ACCESS trial. The focus of this talk is on an observational controlled trial (IVPower) studying the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated community-base care programme (NWpG) implemented in several regions of Germany (in five federal states, Schleswig-Holstein, Northrhine-Westfalia, Berlin, Saxony and Bavaria. The 18-month multi-centre observational trial enrolls 250 patients in the NWpG programme and 250 patients who receive treatment as usual from routine mental health services in five catchment areas. Data are collected at baseline and three follow-ups after 6, 12 and 18 months Preliminary study results will be presented and discussed.