PUBLIC PARTICIPANT MEMBERSHIP ON SCIENTIFIC REVIEW GROUPS AT THE NIMH Release Date: December 2, 1998 P.T. National Institute of Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is seeking to broaden the range of perspectives brought to the review of grant applications for treatment and services research. The Institute plans to add, as grant reviewers, persons who have had experience with mental disorders personally or as a family member, service provider, policy maker, or educator. The aim of this initiative is to enhance the clinical and public health relevance of the scientific portfolio. Grant review at the NIMH consists of two stages. An initial review, conducted by a Scientific Review Group, addresses the scientific merit of an application. Participation in this initial review traditionally has been limited to individuals with demonstrated academic or research expertise in the scientific area under consideration. A second-level review, conducted by the National Advisory Mental Health Council, considers the evaluation of the initial review in the context of overarching considerations, including the public health relevance of an application and its conformance with the Institute"s scientific priorities and related policies. A workgroup of the Council has recently recommended a modification in this traditional review process. Following extensive consultation with researchers, consumers, and Federal officials, this workgroup recommended the inclusion of public participants in the initial review. This recommendation is consistent with the recent report from the Institute of Medicine that supports increased involvement of the public in NIH research priority setting (see http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nih). The Council agrees that reviews will benefit from the perspectives of public participants regarding the public health relevance of an application and patient/consumer considerations that may influence study design, feasibility of recruitment and retention plans, or consent procedures. The Report of the Clinical Treatment and Services Research Workgroup is available on the NIMH home page at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/bridge.htm#br7h (see Recommendation 43). The Report will be published and available from NIMH in the near future. In this initiative, the NIMH Scientific Review Groups considering treatment and services research applications will include public reviewers. Public reviewers will be asked to read and provide written evaluations of the grant applications. (For additional information on the selection process for the public participant reviewers, information is available on the NIMH Web page at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/pubpart1.htm). As planned, the public reviewers will comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the application"s public health significance and/or innovation, on the feasibility of plans for recruitment, retention, and follow-up of subjects, on outreach efforts to special populations, and on issues pertaining to the protection of human subjects. Public reviewers will discuss the merit of the applications with other reviewers and vote on the merit of each application discussed. This inclusion of public reviewers will begin with treatment and services applications submitted on or after the February 1, 1999 receipt date. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this initiative may be directed to: Jane Steinberg, Ph.D. Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Mental Health 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-105 Rockville, MD 20857 FAX: (301) 443-4720 Email: deacmtes@mail.nih.gov

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