Notice Number: NOT-MH-11-012
Key Dates
Release Date: June 10, 2011
Issued by
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Purpose
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Office for Research on Disparities and Global Mental Health, intends to promote an initiative by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications to establish regional research hubs to increase the evidence base for mental health interventions in World Bank designated low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This initiative is intended to build similar programs of research as those developed via RFA-MH-11-070 Collaborative Hubs for International Research on Mental Health. Each regional hub is to conduct research and provide capacity-building opportunities in one of six geographical regions (i.e., East Asia and the Pacific; Europe and Central Asia; Latin America and the Caribbean; Middle East and North Africa; South Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa). The purpose of the Collaborative Hubs for International Research in Mental Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries program is to expand research activities in LMICs with the goal of providing the necessary knowledge, tools, and sustainable research-based strategies for use by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and health care institutions to reduce the mental health treatment gap. The mental health treatment gap refers to the proportion of persons who need, but do not receive care. As a group, awardees will constitute a collaborative network for mental health research in LMICs with capabilities for answering research questions (within and across regions) aimed at improving mental health outcomes for men, women, and children.
This Notice is being provided to encourage investigators with global mental health research expertise to consider applying for this FOA and allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.
The FOA, which will use the NIH Research Program Cooperative Agreement (U19), is expected to be published in the Summer of 2011 with an expected receipt date in October 2011. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.
The objective of this FOA is to establish regional hubs in LMICs that will conduct innovative public health-relevant mental health research, build research infrastructure, and develop research capacity. The work supported under this FOA is expected to: (1) develop and strengthen regional collaborations, including partnerships among governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and mental health service user advocacy groups; (2) facilitate the conduct of high quality, state-of-the-science mental health services and/or policy research, taking advantage of health system and socio-cultural diversity; (3) support research capacity building, meaning the capacity to conduct research through training of future researchers in the regions; and (4) generate collaborations with local communities on the research process and the interpretation of study outcomes.
Research must be conducted in World Bank designated LMICs in one of the following geographic regions:
- East Asia and the Pacific
- Europe and Central Asia
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Middle East and North Africa
- South Asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Responsive applications will conduct research in at least two countries within the geographic region of interest and should provide sufficient evidence of relationships, infrastructure, and knowledge of those regions.
The majority of each regional hub’s capacity building and research activities must be conducted within LMICs and must provide for significant involvement of local/regional LMIC researchers in study design, development, implementation, and interpretation. Each regional hub must develop and collaborate with local/regional government agencies and established institutions in the region to: (1) ensure necessary coordination of research activities with existing policy, clinical service demands, and community priorities; (2) facilitate access to and involvement of locally-identified high priority study populations and treatment centers; and (3) ensure dissemination of study findings to key stakeholders. Responsive applications will describe partnerships within the hub’s selected geographic region with:
- One or more research institutions, defined as:
- For-profit or non-profit organizations
- Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories
- Units of State and local governments
- Eligible agencies of the U.S. Federal government
- Domestic or foreign institutions/organizations
- Faith-based or Community-based organizations
- One or more LMIC non-governmental organizations that provide access to service provider and service user viewpoints; and
- One or more representatives of a LMIC government agency with a health-related function (e.g. Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Welfare; Department of Health; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Secretariat of Health). The representative(s) must have a policy-making, evaluation, or research role within the agency.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.
Inquiries
Inquiries regarding this Notice may be directed to:
LeShawndra N. Price, Ph.D.
Office for Research on Disparities and Global Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8130, MSC 9659
Bethesda, MD 20892-9659
Telephone: (301) 443-2847
FAX: (301) 443-8552
Email: [email protected]
Susannah Allison, Ph.D.
Division of AIDS Research
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6206, MSC 9619
Bethesda, MD 20892-9619
Telephone: (301) 443-3952
FAX: (301) 443-9719
Email: [email protected]
and Human Services (HHS)
