National

National Institute
Institute of
of Mental
Mental Health
Health
Office
Office for
for Special
Special Populations
Populations and
and Office
Office of
of Rural
Rural Mental
Mental Health
Health Research
Research

Orientation
Orientation
to
to
The
The Hispanic
Hispanic Association
Association of
of Colleges
Colleges and
and Universities
Universities

Neuroscience
Neuroscience Center
Center
Bethesda,
Bethesda, MD
MD

July
July 26,
26, 2006
2006

Robert A. Mays, Jr., Ph.D., MSW

Deputy Chief, Office of Rural Mental Health Research
and Program Director, Research Training/Infrastructure
Office for Special Populations, NIMH
301.443.2847
Rmays@mail.nih.gov AN
SERV ICES
U
M S
U
A
H
&
F H E ALTH
T O
EN
M

RT A
D EP
 National Institute of Mental Health
Mission Statement

The mission of NIMH is to reduce the burden of mental

illness through research on the mind, brain, and
behavior. NIMH takes the lead in understanding the
impact of behavior on HIV transmission and
pathogenesis, and in developing effective behavioral
preventive interventions.
The NIMH conducts a wide range of research, research
training, and research capacity development, as well
as, public information outreach and dissemination to
fulfill its mission.
 National
National Institute
Institute of
of Mental
Mental Health
Health
The NIMH Director’s Page
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director.cfm
Research Priorities and Strategic Plans
• supporting basic science discoveries
• translating these discoveries into new interventions that
will relieve the suffering of people with mental disorders;
and
• ensuring that new approaches can be used for diverse
populations and in diverse settings.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/strategic/strategicplanmenu.cfm
Research Funding:
NIMH Reorganized Programs Effective October 2004
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchfunding/reorganization.cfm
National Advisory Mental Health Council Reports
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/council/advis.cfm
 Who/What is a Project
Officer/Program Director?
• Project Officer/Program Director
– is a scientist and administrator
– manages grants, contracts,
cooperative agreements
– identifies needs in scientific areas
– identifies scientific areas of special
interest and communicates interest
– reports on scientific progress and
program accomplishments
Who/What is a Scientific
Review Administrator?
• Scientific Review Administrator
– is a scientist and administrator
– manages the review of grants, contracts,
cooperative agreements
– appoints members to initial review
groups/study sections/special emphasis
panels
– responds to questions about review at
Advisory Councils and Board meetings
– if Referral Officer, refers applications to
study section for review and to Institute
for acceptance into program
 National Institute of Mental Health
Organization
Office of The Director (OD)
 Office for Special Populations (OD/OSP)
 Office of Rural Mental Health Research (OD/OMHR)
 Office of Science Policy, Planning and Communications
 Offices on AIDS; Global Mental Health; Resource Management;
Prevention; Constituency Relations and Public Liaison; and
Diversity and Employee Advocacy Programs

Division of Extramural Activities (DEA)

Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral
Science (DNBBS)
Division of Adult Translational Research and Treatment Development
(DATR)
Division of Pediatric Translational Research and Treatment Prevention
(DPTR)
Division of AIDS and Health and Behavior Research (DAHBR)
Division of Services and Intervention Research (DSIR)
 Associate Director for Special Populations:
Congressionally Mandated
Mission
Develop and coordinate research policies and programs to
assure increased emphasis on the mental health needs of
women and minority populations; support programs of
basic and applied social and behavioral science research
on the mental health problems of women and minorities;
study the effects of discrimination on institutions and
individuals, including majority institutions and individuals;
support and develop research designed to eliminate
institutional discrimination; and provide increased
emphasis on the concerns of women and minority
populations in the Institute’s training, service delivery, and
research programs.
 National Institute of Mental Health
Special Populations Program Organization

N IM H
A s s o c ia te D ire c to r fo r S p e c ia l P o p u la tio n s
( C o n g r e s s io n a lly M a n d a t e d )

O ffic e fo r S p e c ia l P o p u la tio n s O ffic e o f R u ra l M e n ta l H e a lth R e s a rc h

( C o n g r e s s io n a lly M a n d a t e d )

M e n ta l H e a lth D is p a ritie s R u ra l M e n ta l H e a lth R e s e a rc h

W o m e n 's M e n t a l H e a l th
R e s e a rc h S c ie n tis t D e v e lo p m e n t
Office for Special Populations and Office of Rural Mental Health Research
Director for Special Populations Ernest Marquez, Ph.D.
and Acting Director, Office of Rural
Mental Health Research
Deputy Director for Special Populations Sherman Ragland, MSW
Chief, Office of Rural Mental Health
Research Anthony Pollitt, Ph.D.
Deputy Chief, Office of Rural Mental
Health Research Robert Mays, Ph.D., MSW
Chief, Women’s Mental Health Programs Catherine Roca, M.D.
Deputy Chief, Women’s Mental Health
Programs Kathy O’Leary, MSW

Chief, Research Scientist Development Michael Sesma, Ph.D.

Program
Program Director, Research Training
and Infrastructure Robert Mays, Ph.D., MSW

Social Science Analyst Sheila Bolt

Administrative Assistant (Pop Tracking) Dawn Corbett
Administrative Assistant Jeanette Smith

301.443.2847
Research Scientist Development: One Step at a Time!

Faculty TenureR
01
Mentor

New Faculty K01, R21, R03

Post-Doc e.g.Fellowship, Training

Grant, Diversity Supplements

e.g. Training Grants, Fellowships

Graduate
Diversity Supplements
Undergrad
e.g. Supplements, T34 COR Stipends
High School
e.g. Collaborative Networks, R25 COR Stipends
 National Institute of Mental Health
Research Training and Career Development Timetable
Approx. Stage of Research Mechanism of Support
Training and Development

Predoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32)

GRADUATE/
Predoctoral Individual NRSA (F31)
MEDICAL Predoctoral Individual MD/PhD NRSA
STUDENT (F30)
Dissertation Research Grant (R36)
Postdoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32)
Postdoctoral Individual NRSA (F32)
POST
Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)
DOCTORAL/ Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08)
CLINICAL Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
RESIDENCY Scientist Development Award for New Minority Faculty (K01)

EARLY B/Start (R03)

Small Grant (R03)
Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21/R34)
Research Project Grant (R01)
CAREER

Independent Scientist Award (K02)

MIDDLE
Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchfunding/training.cfm
SENIOR
OSP – Mental Health Research Training and Infrastructure
Grants and Research Supplements

T34 Career Opportunities in Research Education and

Training (COR) Honors Undergraduate Program

R25 Career Opportunities in Research Education and

Training (COR) Honors High School Program

R24 Minority Research Infrastructure Support

Program

Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in

Health-Related Research (PA-05-015)
 Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training
(COR) Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant (T34)
PAR-01-008
Annual Submission: May 10

 Provide research education and mentorship

 Awarded to four-year public or private institutions
 Must have 50% > racial and ethnic minority students
 Limited to four to ten Juniors and Seniors: 3.0 > GPA
 $300K in Direct Costs annually; five year renewals
 Stipend ($10.2K) and partial tuition/fees
 Stipend support cannot exceed two years.
 Tuition and fees: 100% of first $3K and 60% of costs
 Up to 50% effort of personnel; some secretarial/lab support
 Consultants, travel, research supplies, computer time, publication
costs for trainee papers
 Actual Facilities and Administrative cost or 8% of Direct Costs
which ever is less
 NIMH COR Institutions
T34 COR Locations Program Directors
Grambling State U. Stacey Duhon, Ph.D.
Hampton University Nancy Duncan, Ph.D.
Howard University Lloyd Sloan, Ph.D.
Jackson State U. Pamela Banks, Ph.D.

Morehouse College M. Weber-Levine, Ph.D.

Clark Atlanta University
Spelman College Karen Brakke, Ph.D.
Morris Brown

Morgan State U. Terra Bowen-Reid, Ph.D.

SUNY, Old Westbury Steven Pryor, Ph.D.

 NIMH COR Institutions

T34 COR Locations Program Directors

Hunter College V. Quinones-Jenab, Ph.D

Mercy College James Towey, Ph.D.

San Francisco State U. Sacha Bunge, Ph.D.

Cal State U., Northridge Carrie Saetermoe, Ph.D.

Cal State U., Long Beach Chi-An Chun, Ph.D.

San Diego State U. Theresa Cronan, Ph.D.

 NIMH COR Institutions
T34 COR Locations Program Directors

Cal State U., Los Angeles Thanh Tran, Ph.D

University of Puerto Rico,

Rio Piedras Guillermo Bernal, Ph.D.

Long Island University Carol Magai, Ph.D.

University of New Mexico, Phillip May, Ph.D.

Albuquerque

University of Texas, El Paso Michael Zarate, Ph.D.

University of Nebraska,
Lincoln Les Whitbeck, Ph.D.
 R25 High School Opportunities in Research Education
(COR) Training Program (PAR)-01-009
Annual application: May 10

 Model, mentor, and teach mental health research to high

school students
 Sponsored by an Undergraduate COR T34
 Five year grant up to $35K per year to the T34 COR
 Total of six Junior and Seniors with 3.0 > GPAs
 Stipend up to $2K per AY or summer session
 Personnel, consultants, travel, supplies
 Facilities and Administrative costs or 8% of Direct Cost
which ever is less
 R25 High School Opportunities in Research Education
(COR) Training Program Institutions

High School COR Sites Program Directors

Howard University Lloyd Sloan, Ph.D.

Jackson State U. Pamela Banks, Ph.D.

U. of Puerto Rico,
Rio Piedras W. Arocho-Rodriquez, Ph.D.

SUNY, Old Westbury Steven Pryor, Ph.D.

Cal Sate U. Northridge Sherry Span, Ph.D.

R24 Minority Research Infrastructure Support Program
(M-RISP) PAR 01-029

Increase the capacity to conduct mental health research

 An Infrastructure Development Plan ($100K)
 Two or more Independent Research Projects ($60K)
 400K annually in Direct Costs for three years
 Five year competitive renewals
 Institutions with 30% > racial/ethnic minority students
and past three years with efforts to increase
 Annual Submission: June 1
 M-RISP Institutions
M-RISP Location Principal Investigator
Lehman College Bronx, NY Kevin Sailor, Ph.D.

Howard University Lloyd Sloan, Ph.D.

University of Puerto Rico,

Rio Piedras Guillermo Bernal, Ph.D.

University of Puerto Rico Nidza Lugo, Ph.D.

Medical Sciences Campus

U. Texas, El Paso Michael Zarate, Ph.D

University of Hawaii
John A. Burns School of Medicine Naleen Andrade, Ph.D.
 M-RISP Institutions
M-RISP Location Principal Investigator

Meharry Medical College James Townsel, Ph.D.

Tennessee State U. Baqar Husaini, Ph.D.

Chicago State U. Esther Jenkins, Ph.D.

SUNY at Old Westbury George Stefano, Ph.D.

San Francisco State U. Rafael Diaz, Ph.D.

Howard University John Massari, Ph.D

Medical School
 M-RISP Institutions
M-RISP Location Principal Investigator

University of Texas,
San Antonio Raymond Garza, Ph.D.

San Diego State University Theresa Cronan, Ph.D.

California State University, John Jung, Ph.D.

Long Beach

California State University, Carrie Saetermoe, Ph.D.

Northridge
 Research Supplements to Promote Diversity
in Health-Related Research
(PA-05-015)

 Used to attract and encourage individuals, or modify

resources to an existing grant
 Support attached to an existing award
 Requested by the Principal Investigator
 Awarded to the Institution
 Principal Investigators of Research Grant Mechanisms:
R01,R10, R18, R22, R24, R35, R37, P01, P30, P40,
P41, P50, P51, P60, U01, U10, U19, U41, U42, or U54
 Exceptions can be made to eligibility requirements
 Funding decision take approximately six to eight weeks
 Usually one research supplement per grant
 Diversity Supplements

• For all stages of the research career from high school

to assistant professor/research associate
• Support for Minority, Disadvantaged and Disabled
individuals
• Additional funds are awarded to a Principal
Investigator to include a minority or disadvantaged
individual on their NIH funded project
• Great way to join a research project and successful
research team
• Also, provides funds for equipment to allow
reasonable accommodations for the disabled
individual
 Diversity Supplements
High School Students:
 $3K for student for summer experience, or $6.25 hourly part-time

 Two year program encouraged

 Equivalence of two three-month, full-time periods desired

Undergraduate Students:
 Student salary should be consistent with institutional salary policy

 Hourly rate more than $8.00 needs justification

 Additional $200.00 per month for travel and supplies

 Three full months of effort expected for at least two

years
 Diversity Supplements

Post-Baccalaureate and Post-Master’s Degree Students:

 Recent graduates to spend up to two years in mental health related

research while applying for graduate/medical/dental or other schools

 Student salary should be consistent with institutional salary policy

 Should not exceed graduate student salary, an additional $3K per

year can be requested for supplies and travel, but no equipment

purchases.

Graduate Research Assistants:

 Students enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs in

biomedical, behavioral, clinical, social sciences, and medical school

 Compensation may include tuition remission in-lieu of wages

 Salary can not exceed first year postdoctoral comparable work

 Additional $4K per year for supplies and travel, but no equipment
 Diversity Supplements
Individuals in Postdoctoral Training
 Participate in ongoing research that develops a productive researcher

 Encouraged to apply for independent support before end of

supplement; no support if on a research or training grant

 Work with predoctoral mentor usually not approved; salary can not

exceed $50K per year

 Additional $6K per year for supplies and travel, but no equipment

Investigators Developing Independent Research Careers:

 Support to staff and faculty with doctoral a degree

 R01, P01, P50, G12, K01, K02, K07, K08, K12 ineligible

 Short-term – full-time (3-5 months per year) for four years

 Long-term – minimum 30% effort per year for four years

 Salary consistent with institutional policy

 $10K per year for supplies and travel, equipment with NIH approval
 SUPPLEMENTS TO PROMOTE REENTRY INTO
BIOMEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
CAREERS
PA-04-126
 Returning Investigators
 Individuals with at least two years postdoctoral research experience; eligible for
doctoral research staff/faculty positions before departure
 Women and men who departed to care for children, parents, or other family
responsibilities; relocation with spouse, partner, or close family member; non-
research endeavors to retire debts incurred during training; interruption due to
incapacitating illness or injury
 Not intended for career changes for individuals without prior research training
 Full or part-time participation, but part-time not less than 50% effort; candidate should
not be engaged in full-time paid research
 Salaries consistent with institutional policy
 $10K per year for supplies and travel, equipment with NIH approval
 Early coordination with NIMH Program Official recommended
 ReEntry Supplements

• Additional funds are awarded to a Principal Investigator to include a

researcher on their existing project who has been out of a research career
for 8 years or less due to health or life choices (e.g. parenting)

• For postdoctoral and investigator level candidates

• Great way to join a research project and successful research team and to
get funds for a promising research who has taken time off to raise a family,
deal with a major illness or family obligation.
 Information on Potential Parent Grants
for Supplemental Grant Applications

• Search CRISP (Computer Retrieval Information on Specific

Projects) for abstracts of funded projects that would be
eligible for a supplement opportunities on the NIH website.

• http://www. crisp.cit.nih.gov/

• Contact Institutes (i.e. Program Officers) to learn how

supplements are evaluated/awarded and areas of program
priority; practices and program interests vary

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/supplement.cfm
 NIH Loan Repayment Programs

• For health professionals conducting research and the LRP repays up to

$35,000 of educational loans

• Must be U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident

• Must have advanced degree

• Must be affiliated with NIH as postdoc, K awardee, first-time PI on R01, R03,

R21 or U01, or first-time director on certain sub-projects

• More information at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-01-064.html
 Extramural Loan Repayment Programs

For health professionals conducting

research in non-profit institutions:

• Clinical Research LRP

• Pediatric Research LRP
• Contraception & Infertility Research
LRP
• Health Disparities Research LRP
• Clinical Research LRP for
Individuals from Disadvantaged
Backgrounds
 NIH Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research

• Pays off educational loan debt

• Maximum award is $35K per year

• 50% of awards must be made to individuals from health disparities

populations

• Affiliation with NIH is not required

• Once accepted into program, persons must conduct at least two years of
research relevant to health disparities

• http://www.lrp.nih.gov/
 Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for
Individuals from Disadvantaged Background

• Disadvantaged background refers to (1) environment that did not encourage or

prepare person to enroll and graduate from a health professions school or (2) family
was poor

• Two years research service is required

• Maximum of $35K per year paid to lender

• Go to www.lrp.nih.gov
Select National Initiatives Supporting Rationale for Diversity
in Mental Health Research Careers

• Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999).

 Translating Behavioral Science into Action: A Report of the National

Advisory Mental Health Council’s Behavioral Science Workgroup
(1999).

 Ensuring a Strong U.S. Scientific Technical, and Engineering

Workforce in the 21st Century, Report of the National Science and
Technology Council (2000).

 Addressing the Nation’s Changing Needs for Biomedical and

Behavioral Scientists, Report of the National Research Council (2000).

 Public Law 106-525, the Minority Health and Health Disparities

Research and Education Act of 2000.
Select National Initiatives Supporting Rationale
for Diversity in Mental Health Research Careers (Cont’d)

 An Investment in America’s Future: Racial and Ethnic Diversity in

Mental Health Research Careers; A Report of the National Advisory
Mental Health Council’s Workgroup on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in
Research Training and Health Disparities Research, (2000).

 Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity; A Supplement to Mental

Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, (2001).

 Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health

Care; A Report of the Institute of Medicine, (2002).

 The NIH Strategic Plan and Budget to Reduce and Ultimately Eliminate
Health Disparities (2001 and 2004 interim).
Rationale for Racial and Ethnic Diversity

 Declining birth rate and aging of current scientific workforce: racial

and ethnic minorities grow from 26% to 48% of the census by 2050.

 Immigration conduit is becoming unreliable due to home nations’

efforts to attract native scientists working abroad (H1-B Visa).

 National Research Council and National Science and Technology

Council reports recommend increased use of racial and ethnic
minority groups to fill scientific workforce shortages.

 Pedagogical outcomes generated by diversity enrich the learning,

research, and healthcare environments.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Mental Health Research Careers, A Report of the National Advisory
Mental Health Council’s Workgroup on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Research Training and Health
Disparities Research, (2000).
 NIMH 1999 Funding Outcomes:

 African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians submitted 5.2% of

the applications received by NIMH with 3.9% funded.

 Asian American and Pacific Islanders submitted 5.2% of the

applications to NIMH with 5.5% funded.

 NIH funded 32% and NIMH funded 27% of competing research

applications.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Mental Health Research Careers, A Report of the National Advisory
Mental Health Council’s Workgroup on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Research Training and Health
Disparities Research, (2000).
NIMH Five-Year Strategic Plan for Reducing Health Disparities

Reducing health disparities requires multiple approaches;

therefore, the NIMH Health Disparities Strategic Plan
encompasses these four Areas of Emphasis:

1) Increase the knowledge base by which disparities are

documented and understood.
2) Improve outcomes of interventions and services
through research.
3) Expand institutional research infrastructures,
research training, and career development.
4) Enhance public information outreach and dissemination.
 OSP Activities: Health Disparities Research

 Ascertain that IRG memberships are diverse and possess

expertise needed to evaluate research in minority
populations/communities
 Facilitate development of ways to accurately measure
extent of mental health disparities
 Find ways to augment role of pharmacogenetic and
pharmacokinetic studies in health disparities
 Facilitate conduct of basic behavioral research on cultural
differences in stress and coping
 Facilitate behavioral research on cultural differences in
resilience
 Facilitate efforts to overcome health disparities related to
health service delivery and use
 OSP Activities: Health Disparities Research

 Facilitate research on health disparities related to treatment response,

adherence, outcome, and quality

 Facilitate research on suicide/depression and other severe mental

illness in minority populations

 Facilitate effective implementation and dissemination of preventive

interventions for HIV/AIDS

 Co-fund health disparities research and behavioral research at

minority serving institutions

 Determine extent and outcomes of existing health disparities research

in NIMH.
NIMH OSP Vision

During the next five years OSP aspires to develop and implement
research policies and programs that increase the Institute’s emphasis
on the mental health needs of women, racial and ethnic minorities,
rural populations, and persons of Low-SES;

In that regard, we will diligently encourage programs of basic and

applied social and behavioral research on the prevention, causation,
treatment, and cure of mental illnesses that are disparately prevalent
among women, racial and ethnic minorities, rural populations, and
persons of Low-SES;

We will champion the use of goals, objectives, action plans, and

performance outcomes as were work to reduce the burden of mental
illness for all Americans.
Guiding Principles of OSP Operations
The principle business of NIMH is to support investigator initiated
research and to train investigators to carry out the NIMH mission.
Therefore OSP endeavors to:

Promote and use science to increase knowledge about the prevention,

causation, treatment, and cure of mental illnesses.

Reduce the under representation of special populations in the research

arena to eliminate disparities and improve the health of all Americans.

Disseminate valid and reliable knowledge to reduce the burden of

mental illness for people in general and special populations
specifically.

Partner with ICs to assure effectiveness and efficiency, leverage

resources, and provide quality stewardship of the public’s resources.
 Office of Rural Mental Health Research

Mandated By Congress In 1991

Senate Appropriations Committee Directed NIMH to Expend

$10.5 Million for Rural Mental Health Research and an

additional $4.5 Million for Rural Native American and
Alaska Native Research each Fiscal Year
 Office of Rural Mental Health Research
Annual Expenditures (Millions of Dollars)

1991 - $10 MILLION 1996 - $32 MILLION

1992 - $22 MILLION 1997 - $24 MILLION

1993 - $17 MILLION 1998 - $25 MILLION

1994 - $ 25 MILLION 1999 - $ 27 MILLION

1995 $ 28 MILLION 2000 - $ 34 MILLION

2001 - $33 MILLION - 91 GRANTS

2002 - $30 MILLLION - 79 GRANTS
2003 - $33.9 MILLION - 97 GRANTS
2004 - $34.5 MILLION - 75 GRANTS
2005 - $32.4 MILLION - 65 GRANTS
 Office of Rural Mental Health Research

Recent Initiatives to address:

The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Final Report
“Achieving the Promise” Transforming Mental Health Care in America, July
2003”

Goal 3: Disparities in Mental Health Service are Eliminated

3.1 Improve access to quality care that is culturally competent.
3.2 Improve access to quality care in rural and geographically remote areas.

Goal 6: Technology is used to Access Mental Health Care and Information

6.1 Use health technology and telehealth to improve access and coordination
of mental health care, especially for Americans in remote or in underserved
populations.
6.2 Develop and implement integrated electronic health record and personal
health information systems.
 Office of Rural Mental Health Research
During 2004-2005 scientific meetings were conducted to address these aims:
Aim #1: Develop and implement plans to study the efficacy, effectiveness,
and efficiency of eMental Health (use of telecommunications) as a
way to improve access to specialized mental healthcare in rural,
remote, and isolated populations
Aim #2 Determine if the face-to-face therapeutic process translates via
eMental Health
Aim# 3: Determine if individualized (culturally appropriate) care can be
delivered through eMental Health models
The scientific meetings were conducted in these locations and hosted/co-hosted
by:
Boulder City, CO (NIMH);
Salt Lake City, UT(NIMH);
Memphis, TN (NIMH and University of Tennessee Medical School, Memphis;
Austin, TX (NIMH);
Davis, CA (NIMH and UC Davis Medical School (S. Aquilar-Gaxiola),
California Endowment & Telemedicine eHealth Center.
 Rural Mental Health Care

Summary

Much has been learned about the severity of the

problem and barriers to rural care. Thus our Office
has focused on interventions to enhance the
delivery of mental health care to this population
 Studies Needed to Address Rural/Urban Disparities in Use,
Quality, and Outcomes of Care

Rost, Fortney, et.al. (Medical Care Research and Review, 2002) analyzed
studies conducted between 1993 to 2000 and their findings informs us
that these questions about rural populations should be addressed:
What Is the quality of care received by the severely mentally ill?

How do total out-of-pocket expenditures differ for rural/urban

residents?

What role has managed care played in the delivery of mental health
care?

How can rural residents be encouraged to enter mental health care

treatment?

Stigma in small towns is a major deterrent to seeking care and/or

remaining in care, what methods can be used to overcome stigma?
Studies Needed to Address Rural/Urban Disparities in Use,
Quality, and Outcomes of Care

Can quality of rural care be enhanced by modifying

successful urban models?

Can mental health care be delivered at least as effectively

through telecommunications as it can in a face-to-face
encounter?

Our Funding Opportunity Announcement is available on the

NIMH Website at
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-061.html
For further information please contact
Anthony Pollitt, Ph.D.
Office of Rural Mental Health
Research
301-443-2847
Apollitt@mail.nih.gov
Actions To Promote Diversity in Mental Health Research

 Seek and disseminate current information to your constituents.

 Prepare/mentor/support a colleague/family member to submit research

or research training applications.

 Participate in and encourage others to participate in clinical trials.

 Pursue complete information on clinical trial results for all participants.

 Advocate for support of your research interests.

 Take-Home Message

• Communicate
– with NIH staff
– with potential collaborative investigators
– with institutional administrators

http://www.nih.gov
http://www.nimh.nih.gov

• Rmays@mail.nih.gov
Determining OSP Successes

1. Increased involvement in Institute mission and activities

2. Compliance with NAMHC Work Group Action Plan

a. Track trainee outcomes;
b. Establish a national mentorship network;
c. Concentrate more new resources at post-doc and beyond;
d. Encourage and strengthen networks and partnerships;
e. Support efforts to strengthen scientific review groups; and
f. Annually review Action Plan and report to Council

3. Compliance with NIMH Five-Year Plan Strategic Plan

4. Compliance with Individual Employee Performance Plans

Specific Focus Areas - To be successful OSP must:

Serve as the Institute’s (Director and Advisory Council’s) subject matter expert for all
Special Population matters:

Participate in Senior Leader meetings; review all nominations, scientific publications,

policy statements, and programmatic ventures;

At least annually inform the National Advisory Council on the state of the Institute;

Prepare the Strategic Plan, reports to Congress; and lead the Institute’s Health
Disparity initiative

Train current/future scientists to meet the challenges/needs of Special Populations

Inform the public in plain language; and support Scientific Review Group Expertise

Monitor Recruitment and Retention Plans; and conduct population tracking

Incorporate Languages Other Than English into the research agenda

Current and Future NIMH Collaborative Areas

Conduct joint efforts to increase the participation of

under represented groups in research.

Share expertise in planning health disparity research meetings.

Collaborate on clinical trial recruitment and retention strategies.

Support (co-fund) undergraduate research training in the co-occurring

diseases such as drug abuse and mental illness.

Share Scientific Review Group rosters to reduce the burden on

overworked individuals.

Share senior mentorship rosters to enlarge the target pool.