The UPSIDES project involves scientists, mental health professionals, stakeholders and peer workers from six countries in Europe (Germany and United Kingdom), Africa (Uganda and Tanzania) and Asia (Israel and India).
Prof. Bernd Puschner
Site lead and coordinator.
Bernd is a psychologist and professor at UIm University’s Department of Psychiatry II where he heads the section Process-Outcome Research. His major research interests are process-outcome research, global mental health, shared decision making, and recovery-oriented interventions for people with mental illness. He is Secretary of the European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation (ENMESH) and Senior Associate Editor of the journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences.
Dr. Annabel Müller-Stierlin
Annabel is research associate at Ulm University’s Department of Psychiatry II. She coordinates UPSIDES together with Prof Puschner. Her research projects aim to expand and improve community-based, recovery-oriented care for people with mental illness delivered by professionals and peers. Her PhD thesis was about the efficiency and cost-efficiency of integrated care in people with severe mental disorder. Annabel is a graduated nutrition scientist and biostatistician.
Eva Paul
Eva is project administrator in UPSIDES. She is part of research administration at Ulm University’s Department of Psychiatry II, and graduated in translation and Applied Linguistic and Cultural Studies.
Ramona Hiltensperger
Ramona Hiltensperger is psychologist and research associate in UIm University’s Department of Psychiatry II in the Section Process-Outcome Research. Her research focuses on peer support and implementation science. In UPSIDES she is responsible for the local implementation of the UPSIDES study in Günzburg/Ulm and is also involved in communication-related tasks and coordination of the implementation across all UPSIDES study sites.
Philip Wolf
Philip is a physicist with interests in programming and data science. He is responsible for the website administration and data management of the project.
Maria Haun
Maria Haun is a research assistant in the Process Results Research Section. In the UPSIDES project she is responsible for the qualitative data collection (focus groups) before and after the local implementation of UPSIDES in Günzburg/Ulm. She is also involved in the qualitative data analysis across all UPSIDES study sites.
Lisa Wenzel
Lisa is a project assistant at the section Process-Outcome Research at Ulm University’s Department of Psychiatry II. She graduated from Ulm University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. In UPSIDES she is responsible for quantitative data collection in Günzburg/Ulm and is also involved in RCT-related tasks across all UPSIDES study sites.
Prof. Mike Slade
Site lead.
Mike is Professor of Mental Health Recovery and Social Inclusion at University of Nottingham and Chair of the European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation (ENMESH). His main research interests are recovery-focused and outcome-focused mental health services, including Recovery Colleges, lived experience narratives, citizenship, wellbeing, needs assessment and developing measures, e.g. INSPIRE, Camberwell Assessment of Need, Threshold Assessment Grid.
Dr. Julie Repper
Julie is Director of ImROC. ImROC works in partnership with communities to develop systems, services and cultures that support recovery and wellbeing for all. Julie is also joint editor of the Journal of Mental Health and Social Inclusion and recently retired from being Recovery Lead at Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust.
Rebecca Nixdorf
Rebecca is research associate at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in the team of Dr. Candelaria Mahlke and Prof. Thomas Bock. She studied psychology at the University of Hamburg and is currently undergoing training to become a psychotherapist. Her research focus is recovery and peer support in global mental health. In UPSIDES she assisted Dr. Candelaria Mahlke and Prof. Julie Repper in the development of the UPSIDES training and intervention and is together with Dr. Candelaria Mahlke responsible for the local implementation of UPSIDES in Hamburg
Palak Korde
Palak is a Researcher (Project Assistant) at the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Pune, India. She is currently based at the Gujarat site in Hospital for Mental Health, Ahmedabad. She is responsible for the local implementation of UPSIDES. She is a socio-cultural anthropologist. She has previous experience in LGBTQ+ studies and National Communicable Disease Control Programme and its relevance in a tribal context. Her main research interests are mental health, gender and sexuality, feminist anthropology and tribal inclusive development.
Arti Kulkarni
Arti is a Researcher (Project Assistant) at Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Pune, India. She is currently based at the Gujarat site in Hospital for Mental Health, Ahmedabad. Arti is a forensic psychologist and has previous experience in programming and implementing behavioural and communication-oriented interventions for children with Autism. Her major interest is to develop recovery-focused programs and interventions in mental health services and making them accessible to all.
Charlene Sunkel
Founder and CEO: Global Mental Health Peer Network
South Africa
Prof. Marianne Farkas
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University
Boston, USA
Dr. Michelle Funk
WHO Geneva, Mental Health Policy and Service Development, Dept. Of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Geneva, Switzerland
Nigel Henderson
Chief Executive of Penumbra (mental health charity)
Edinburgh, Scottland
Prof. Sylvia Kaaya
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science, Dean Faculty of Medicine, Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Dar es Salaam, Tansania
Dr. Dr. Stefan Weinmann
Assistant Medical Director for the clinic for psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychosomatic medicine at the Vivantes Klinikum am Urban
Berlin, Germany
Pfarrerin Ulrike Berlin
Ulrike Berlin is a protestant pastor by profession and is working in the clinic pastoral care team at the district hospital in Günzburg.
Stefanie Mäckle
Stefanie Mäckle is a curative teacher by profession. She is in charge of the complementary independent partnership consultancy (EUTB) of Diakonie Neu-Ulm e.V. and advises – together with peers – people with disabilities and their families, as well as professionals who work with people with disabilities.
Dipl.-Psych. Wolfgang Mohr
Wolfgang Mohr is a psychologist by profession. He is the head of the social psychiatric service and the addiction outpatient clinic of the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Augsburg in Günzburg.
Hannes Müller
Hannes Müller is a professional psychiatric nurse and nursing manager of the Home Treatment department at the district hospital Günzburg.
Beate Ragnit
Beate Ragnit represents the interests of the families of people with mental illness. She is the 1st chairman of the Relatives Association of mentally ill (ApK) e.V. Augsburg.
Prof. Dr. Nicolas Rüsch
Nicolas Rüsch is Professor of Public Mental Health and consultant psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry II of the University of Ulm at BKH Günzburg. Among other things, he leads a home treatment team and supports the local advisory board.
Alexandra Taglang
Alexandra Taglang heads the board office of the District Clinics Swabia and supports our project in the local advisory board as representative of the clinic management.
Pfarrer Max Ziegler
Max Ziegler is a catholic priest by profession and is working in the clinic pastoral care team at the district hospital in Günzburg.