Outreach Partners Selected in July 2009
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) continues to select new partners for its Outreach Partnership Program (OPP). The latest new Partners will serve Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico:
- Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council, in Pennsylvania, is a community-based organization dedicated to preventing suicide, reducing the stigma associated with suicide, and supporting those people affected by depression or by the loss of a loved one to suicide through education and support. http://www.feelingblue.org/
- Institute for Psychological Research at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, stems from 20 years of collaboration by a group of researchers engaged in research, training and development at the University of Puerto Rico. Their mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge in the areas of treatment, prevention models and services for mental health problems, HIV / AIDS and other considerations that adversely affect health and welfare of people, such as violence and substance abuse. http://ipsi.uprrp.edu/
The Outreach Partnership Program continues to seek partners in North Dakota and West Virginia. The next deadline for submission is August 14. See the Join the NIMH Outreach Partnership Program page for details.
Visit the Outreach Partners page for a complete list of current partners.
Outreach Partners work to increase public awareness of the critical role research plays in expanding the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Each Partner conducts a statewide mental health outreach and education program to deliver science-based messages to the public, a broad range of health professionals, and traditionally underserved populations. Partners also collaborate with universities and other research institutions to increase opportunities for volunteer participation in NIMH and NIH sponsored clinical studies.
The Program now has 53 state partner positions and there are two vacancies. In addition to the state Outreach Partners, there are also over 80 National Partners, including professional, consumer, advocacy, and service-related organizations that represent groups primarily concerned with mental health, alcoholism, and drug abuse disorders. The Partnership is an initiative of the NIMH with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The NIMH provides Outreach Partners with research updates, opportunities to network with state and national organizations at the OPP’s annual meeting and other regional meetings, access to NIMH educational publications, and a small annual stipend. For more information, visit the NIMH Outreach Partnership Program Web page.
