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The NIMH
Outreach Partnership Program is a nationwide initiative
of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 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 partners with national and state organizations
to strengthen the public health impact of research by disseminating
the latest scientific findings; informing the public about
mental disorders, alcoholism, and drug addiction; and reducing
the associated stigma and discrimination. The Program strives
to increase public awareness about the important role of basic
and clinical research in transforming the understanding and
treatment of mental illnesses and addiction disorders, paving
the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. The Program also
provides NIMH with the opportunity to engage community organizations
in a dialogue to help develop a national research agenda to
improve America's mental health.
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 NIMH
Lastest Update [March
1, 2010]
To subscribe to receive
the Update every two weeks, visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/outreach/partnership-program/subscribe-to-the-update.shtml
NIMH Science and Service News Updates:
Diabetes and Depression Associated with Higher Risk for Major
Complications
People with type 2 diabetes and coexisting major depression
are more likely to experience life-threatening diabetes-related
complications, according to a recent NIMH-funded study published
in the February 2010 issue of Diabetes Care. Science Update:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2010/diabetes-and-depression-associated-with-higher-risk-for-major-complications.shtml
Parent Training Complements Medication
for Treating Behavioral Problems in Children with Pervasive
Developmental Disorders
Treatment that includes medication
plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious
behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions,
according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH). The study, which was part of the NIMH Research
Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network,
was published in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of
the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Press
Release: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/parent-training-complements-medication-for-treating-behavioral-problems-in-children-with-pervasive-developmental-disorders.shtml
Long-term Depression Treatment Leads to Sustained Recovery
for Most Teens
Long-term treatment of adolescents
with major depression is associated with continuous and persistent
improvement of depression symptoms in most cases, according
to the most recent analysis of follow-up data from the NIMH-funded
Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). The
report, along with a commentary compiling the take-home messages
of the study, was published in the October 2009 issue of the
American Journal of Psychiatry.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/long-term-depression-treatment-leads-to-sustained-recovery-for-most-teens.shtml
NIH Encourages Depressed Moms to Seek Treatment for Themselves
An NIH Challenge grant was awarded
on behalf of NIMH to Judy Garber, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University,
to develop and test a method encouraging depressed mothers
to follow treatment recommendations. For this study, Garber
is recruiting 200 mothers of children receiving psychiatric
treatment at a community mental health center. All study participants
will receive a referral for treatment and an information pamphlet
describing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, possible
effects of depression on children, and different types of
treatments. Randomly assigned participants will also receive
a brief, one-session Enhanced Motivation Intervention (EMI).
EMI uses special interviewing techniques to identify and resolve
a person's concerns about and practical barriers to treatment.
Science
Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/nih-encourages-depressed-moms-to-seek-treatment-for-themselves.shtml
NIMH Recovery Act Grant Aims to Teach Kids with Autism How
to Better Express Themselves: Computer-based Training in Creating
and Responding to Facial Expressions May Improve Social Interactions
Most children with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) seem to have trouble engaging in everyday
social interactions. They may seem to have no reaction to
other people or may respond atypically when others show anger
or affection. Their own facial expressions, tone of voice,
and body language may not match what they are saying, making
it difficult for others to respond appropriately. Such barriers
to communication can isolate children with ASD from their
peers. To help overcome these barriers, NIH awarded a Challenge
grant on behalf of NIMH to support the development of a new
training program that incorporates two existing computer programs.
One program, called Let's Face It!, helps children with ASD
recognize facial expressions of others and understand the
corresponding emotions. The other program, called the Computer
Expression Recognition Toolbox, detects a user's facial expression
in real-time, based on 37 different facial expression dimensions
(for example, widening one's eyes, raising the inner or outer
corners of one's eyebrows, wrinkling one's nose, etc.) and
their intensity.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/recovery-act-grant-aims-to-teach-kids-with-autism-how-to-better-express-themselves.shtml
Significant Weight Gain, Metabolic Changes Associated with
Antipsychotic Use in Children
Many children and adolescents who
receive antipsychotic medications gain a significant amount
of weight and experience metabolic changes, according to NIMH-funded
research published October 28, 2009, in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/significant-weight-gain-metabolic-changes-associated-with-antipsychotic-use-in-children.shtml
Telephone-based Depression Treatment Program Effective While
Cost Efficient
Patients who receive structured,
telephone-based support to manage their depression gain significant
benefits with only moderate increases in health care costs
compared to those who receive usual care, according to an
NIMH-funded analysis published in the October 2009 issue of
the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/telephone-based-depression-treatment-program-effective-while-cost-efficient.shtml
History of Childhood Maltreatment Linked to Higher Rates of
Unemployment, Poverty—Outcomes of Abuse and Neglect Impose
Significant Costs to Individual and Society
The long-term impacts of childhood
maltreatment include higher rates of unemployment, poverty,
and use of social services in adulthood, according to a new
study by NIMH staff. The related losses in productivity and
tax revenues, increased spending on social services, and potential
transmission of abusive behaviors from one generation to the
next, suggest major costs to society as well. The results
were published online ahead of print on October 8, 2009, in
the journal Child Abuse and Neglect.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/history-of-childhood-maltreatment-linked-to-higher-rates-of-unemployment-poverty.shtml
Combination Treatment for Psychotic Depression Holds Promise
A combination of an atypical antipsychotic
medication and an antidepressant known as a selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) may be more effective in treating
psychotic depression than an atypical antipsychotic alone,
according to results from an NIMH-funded clinical study. Researchers
reported the results of the Study of Pharmacotherapy of Psychotic
Depression (STOP-PD) in the March 2009 issue of the Archives
of General Psychiatry.
Science Update: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/combination-treatment-for-psychotic-depression-holds-promise.shtml
Evidence-Based Prevention is Goal of Largest Ever Study of
Suicide in the Military
The NIMH has announced that an
interdisciplinary team of four research institutions will
carry out the largest study of suicide and mental health among
military personnel ever undertaken, with $50 million in funding
from the U.S. Army. Study investigators aim to move quickly
to identify risk and protective factors for suicide among
soldiers and provide a science base for effective and practical
interventions to reduce suicide rates and address associated
mental health problems. The study is a direct response to
the Army's request to NIMH to enlist the most promising scientific
approaches for addressing the rising suicide rate among soldiers.
A memorandum of agreement between NIMH and the Army, signed
in October 2008, authorized NIMH to undertake the investigation
with Army funding. Suicide rates among Army personnel have
risen substantially since the beginning of the current conflicts
in Iraq and Afghanistan despite major surveillance and intervention
efforts introduced by the Army to prevent suicides over this
period. Press Release: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2009/evidence-based-prevention-is-goal-of-largest-ever-study-of-suicide-in-the-military.shtml
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