Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
April 7, 2003, Vol. 03-23

NEW ITEMS ON NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH WEB SITE

Information About Coping with Traumatic Events

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) conducts research not only on a wide range of mental health disorders, but also on the reactions that occur in a time of crisis or terror. NIMH has studied the reactions of people following the Oklahoma City bombing, wars, and natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods, and fires. Since September 11, 2001, there have been new challenges for the whole nation. We are living in a state of elevated risk. It is clear that the current war adds another note to this story. There are as many responses to crisis as there are people involved. Most people have intense feelings after a traumatic event. Most will completely recover from the trauma; others are more vulnerable, especially those who have had previous traumatic experiences, and will need additional help.

The NIMH is focused on providing information gained from research and has compiled this information to assist individuals and families. NIMH has also provided sources of help including special information for helping children that many parents and organizations have found useful. Although NIMH recognizes the serious nature of psychological responses to trauma and emphasizes the need to recognize those requiring specialized assistance, there is some good news. Research from both in this country and other countries that have had extensive wars or crises teaches us that people are amazingly resilient.

For more info, visit the link below: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/traumaticmenu.cfm.

New Study of Treatment for Minor Depression

In a new approach to research on minor depression, the NIMH has launched a four-year study to determine the safety and effectiveness of St. John's wort, a common herbal supplement, and citalopram, a standard antidepressant, compared to placebo.

The trial is being conducted at three sites. A total of 300 participants with minor depression will be randomly assigned a standardized extract of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), citalopram, or placebo in a twelve-week double-blind trial. Researchers will assess changes in patients' symptoms, functioning, and quality of life. Those who show no improvement will receive the active treatment they hadn't been assigned before, while patients with improved symptoms will take their assigned treatment for another 14 weeks for a total of 26 weeks.

For more information, visit the link below: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/Press/prminordep.cfm

Suicide Research Program Abstracts of Currently Funded Research Grants Pertaining to Suicidal Behavior updated

This report contains abstracts of suicide research projects funded in fiscal year 2002 by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NIMH extramural support for research projects focused on suicide, or containing large suicide components, totaled approximately $26 million. The abstracts presented here are intended to serve as examples of the range and quality of scientific research on suicide supported by NIMH.

For the full report in its entirety, visit the link below: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/suiabs.pdf [pdf]

Funding Opportunities

PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT: From Intervention Development to Services: Exploratory Research Grants (R34)

This Program Announcement (PA) replaces the following R21 Announcements: Exploratory/Development Grants for Mental Health Intervention Research (PA-99-134), Pilot Effectiveness Trials for Mental Disorders (PAR-99-118), and NIMH Therapeutic Effectiveness Protocol Development Program (PAR-99-119). The purpose of this R34 is to encourage research on 1) the development and/or pilot testing of new or adapted interventions 2) pilot testing interventions with demonstrated efficacy in broader scale effectiveness trials, or 3) innovative services research directions that require preliminary testing or development.

This mechanism provides resources for evaluating the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability and safety of novel approaches to improving mental health and modifying health risk behavior, and for obtaining the preliminary data needed as a pre-requisite to a larger-scale (efficacy or effectiveness) intervention or services study. NIMH intervention and services research is aimed at preventing or ameliorating mental disorders, emotional or behavioral problems, the co-occurrence of mental, physical and substance abuse problems, HIV infections, and the functional consequences of these problems across the life span. This PA addresses several recommendations of the National Advisory Mental Health Council: Bridging Science and Service; Translating Behavioral Science into Action; and Priorities for Prevention Research at NIMH.

For more information, visit link below: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-03-078.html.

PURPOSE OF THIS RFA: Developing Disaster Mental Health Research Capacity Through Education (R25)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) seek to encourage collaborative partnerships among scientists from various disciplines and State and local health and mental health authorities. This is being encouraged to facilitate interdisciplinary research and disaster mental health research education, and to establish the capacity for rapid data collection after disasters, including acts of terrorism.

The Request for Applications (RFA) is designed to create disaster mental health research education and rapid response programs to improve the capacity for high-quality disaster mental health research. Also, it is intended to speed the process for timely data collection in the aftermath of unforeseen events, and ultimately improve connections between evidence-based practice and the public health response to disasters. Accordingly, programs will be supported for (1) the development of and instruction of others in state of the art disaster mental health research methodology. This will include new methods and measures, and (2) the formation of interdisciplinary disaster research teams and research protocols, in conjunction with Federal, State and local public health authorities.

The purpose is for rapid data collection efforts after disasters and acts of mass violence. The sponsoring Institutes and SAMHSA propose to fund the development of programs to establish and conduct educational and training activities and to create disaster research partnerships and protocols, with the option of supplemental funding for implementing rapid data collection activities in response to unforeseen events.

For more information, visit link below: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-03-009.html.

NIMH Procedures for Program Guidance, Submission and Review of Minority, Disability and Reentry Research Supplement Applications

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has supplementary information for pre-submission program guidance; submission and review of applications requesting selected research supplements to active NIMH grants. This information addresses NIMH-specific issues and is NOT INTENDED TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SPECIFIC PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS.

The purpose of this supplementary information is to address NIMH-specific issues regarding the following program announcements:

• PA-01-079 - Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities
• PA-01-080 - Research Supplements for Individuals with Disabilities
• PA-01-081 - Supplements to Promote Reentry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers

The full text of the supplementary information is available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/grants/index.shtml

For more information, visit link below: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-MH-03-002.html

Final NIH Statement on Sharing Research Data

As part of NIH's long-standing policy to share and make available to the public the results and accomplishments of the activities that it funds, NIH announced and invited comments on a draft statement about the sharing of final research data on March 1, 2002. Since that time, NIH has received and reviewed many thoughtful comments from a range of scientific organizations and over 150 individuals. Additionally, during the comment period, HHS published final modifications for the STANDARDS FOR PRIVACY OF INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION, the "Privacy Rule," of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation that governs how certain health care providers, health care clearinghouses, and health plans, known as "covered entities," use and disclose identifiable health information.

For more information, visit link below: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-032.html.