NIMH Outreach
The Office of Constituency Relations and Public Liaison (OCRPL)
Oversees most of the Institute’s outreach and public liaison activities, including interactions with patient advocacy, professional, scientific and community-based organizations interested in the mission and/or programs of NIMH.
Outreach Partnership Program
The Outreach Partnership Program is a nationwide initiative of the NIMH with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Program enlists national and state organizations in partnerships to help bridge the gap between research and clinical practice by disseminating the latest scientific findings; informing the public about mental disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction; and reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with these illnesses.
NIMH Professional Coalition for Research Progress
NIMH convenes representatives of professional organizations once a year: (1) to share the latest developments at NIMH with professional constituent organizations and (2) to foster dialogue on the future path and directions of NIMH-funded research.
More about the NIMH Professional Coalition for Research Progress…
NIMH Alliance for Research Progress
The Alliance is a group of patient and family advocates representing national voluntary organizations meeting twice a year with NIMH Director and staff. The Alliance meets in the summer to discuss research priorities, which allows an opportunity for NIMH to hear directly from representatives of constituency groups about their views and concerns regarding its research. The Alliance Winter Meeting focuses on the latest research advances.
Public Forums and Dialogues
NIMH has hosted meetings across the U.S. to inform the public of cutting-edge mental health research and to gather input from the community to assist in developing the NIMH research agenda.
Office of Science Policy, Planning, and Communications (OSPPC)
OSPPC plans and directs a comprehensive strategic agenda for national mental health policy, including science program planning and related policy evaluation, research training and coordination, and technology and information transfer. OSPPC plans and implements portfolio analysis, scientific disease coding, and program evaluations for developing and assessing NIMH strategic plans and portfolio management.
OSPPC also creates and implements the Institute’s communication efforts, including information dissemination, media relations activities, and internal communications. The Office proposes and guides science education activities concerned with informing the scientific community and public about mental health issues. The Office is also responsible for managing issues related to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), correspondence control, and clearance services for the Institute.
