Novarea RPK

 

Scientific evaluation of the pilot project 'medical-vocational rehabilitation of mentally disordered people in the novarea RPK'

The research project 'medical-vocational rehabilitation of mentally disordered people in the novarea RPK' was launched in June 2014. The Project is funded by the research network for rehabilitation of Deutsche Rentenversicherung Rheinland. The research project deals with the formative and summative evaluation (see Mittag & Hager, 2000) of a pilot project applied by novarea RPK. The classical approach in RPK institutions is a two-phased design in which medical and vocational rehabilitation are strictly divided and successively conducted. In contrast, the treatment process of the novare RPK is not divided into phases, causing the novarea RPK to be the only RPK institution in Germany, working with a combined medical-vocational approach (approved according to §§ 111c SGB 5 and 26 SGB 9 as a medical institution and according to § 35 SGB 9 as a vocational rehabilitation institution).

The aim of the scientific evaluation, conducted by RWTH Aachen, is to investigate whether the unique treatment approach of novarea RPK can be integrated in the standard care process. The primary objective of the model is the successful reintegration of participants in the regular labor market. From a health economics perspective, a positive outcome and a high economic capability of the approach would be of significant importance for both, insured mentally disordered people and pension insurance institutions. Moreover, the unique treatment approach could serve as a model for other medical vocational rehabilitation institutions of mentally disordered patients.