NIMH Outreach Partnership Program
The Outreach Partnership Program is a nationwide initiative of the NIMH’s Office of Constituency Relations and Public Liaison (OCRPL) with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and in cooperation with 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. The Program strives to increase public awareness about the importance of basic and clinical research in improving treatments for—and ultimately curing and preventing—mental illnesses and addiction disorders through advancing knowledge about the brain and behavior. The Program also provides NIMH with the opportunity to engage community groups across the U.S. in developing a national research agenda grounded in public health need.
Objectives
The Outreach Partnership Program is a vital element in the broad NIMH outreach effort to deliver science-based information to the public, health professionals, constituency groups, and all interested stakeholders. Through its Outreach and National Partners, the Program strives to:
- Disseminate science-based information on mental illnesses, alcoholism, and drug abuse to consumers, families, and policymakers at the state and local level.
- Support the understanding of brain disorders, specifically mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders, and the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- Reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction.
- Encourage individuals with symptoms of mental disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction to seek help.
- Eliminate disparities that exist in access to care and health outcomes due to race, culture, age, geographical location, and gender.
- Facilitate information exchange between the NIMH and national and state groups.
- Engage state-level community groups in the research priority-setting process.
Outreach Partners
There are 55 Outreach Partner organizations in the Program; one competitively selected partner in every state in the U.S., including the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As part of the agreement with NIMH, each Outreach 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.
Benefits provided to the Outreach Partners include a small annual stipend, travel reimbursement to the Annual Meeting, and access to NIMH scientific and educational publications for mass dissemination. Partners also have numerous opportunities for networking with Federal, national, and state organizations through the annual meetings, a listserv, and a biweekly update with the latest news and resources.
See list of Outreach Partners…
National Partners
There are over 80 National Partners, including professional, consumer, advocacy, and service-related organizations with a nationwide membership and/or audience. National Partners are concerned primarily with mental health, alcoholism and drug abuse disorders, but also include a broad range of groups involved in general health and medicine, managed care, academia, education, and business. The Outreach Partnership Program strives to connect state and national organizations with one another to build coalitions. The resulting partnerships extend outreach and educational activities to more diverse populations, allow for cost and information sharing, and help national campaigns reach the state grass roots level.
