Thematic track: Severe mental illnesses

Severe mental illnesses is one of four thematic tracks in the call Research centre grants 2025. The overall focus of the call applies to the track.

About this track

For this track, Forte intends to fund three centres.

• Maximum amount that can be applied for: 80 million SEK
• Project start: 1 December 2025

Research centres in this track should focus on practice-oriented and interdisciplinary research concerning healthcare methods, treatments and interventions for severe psychiatric conditions, with a broad perspective grounded in care science. The research should benefit both patients and practice, contribute to addressing societal challenges within the field, and support the implementation of the priority actions outlined in the national strategy for mental health and suicide prevention.

Psychiatric conditions represent more severe forms of mental ill-health and encompass a range of mental illnesses and syndromes that meet the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis. Examples include psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, self-harming behaviour, depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and suicidal conditions. Psychiatric comorbidity—such as the combination of substance use and psychiatric illness—is included. However, research primarily focused on somatic health outcomes is not covered within this track.

This track includes practice-based research within psychiatric healthcare that evaluates the effects of various healthcare-science-based interventions on health. It may also address patient participation in care, as well as healthcare methods, treatments and interventions.

Each research centre must have a clearly defined theme. Examples of such themes include involuntary and inpatient psychiatric care, a specific severe psychiatric condition, or healthcare scientific and organisational perspectives on coordinated care and support. Another possible theme is the evaluation of which methods, treatments and interventions within involuntary and inpatient psychiatric care are essential, most desirable, and lead to better outcomes, along with clarifying the aims, content and approach of such care. Knowledge regarding patient participation in care and support—how such participation can be practically implemented and contribute to recovery and treatment success—is also highly relevant.

As support for individuals with various psychiatric conditions involves multiple professions and services, it is important to understand how collaboration functions across these actors, and to ensure that patients and their families are actively involved in the research.

Severe psychiatric conditions can affect women and men differently and to varying degrees. The conditions for achieving good mental health are not equal, and research must therefore take into account issues of inequality, gender and gender identity. It should also consider how differences in living conditions and health outcomes relate to ethnicity, disability, age, socioeconomic status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or other belief systems.

Forte does not fund clinical (medical) therapy studies or biomedical (preclinical) research. Research on mental ill-health as an umbrella concept, mild mental problems, or mental well-being is not included in this track. The same applies to mental ill-health as a risk factor for other diseases, somatic and psychiatric comorbidity (as opposed to, for example, substance use and psychiatric illnesses), or research where somatic outcome measures are the primary focus.