This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices.

EXPIRED


RESEARCH ON COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION FOR PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES

RELEASE DATE:  June 20, 2003

PA NUMBER:  PA-03-144 

This PA has been reissued as PA-06-427 for submission of R01 applications as of May 
19, 2006

March 2, 2006 (NOT-OD-06-046)   Effective with the June 1, 2006 submission date, 
all R03, R21, R33 and R34 applications must be submitted through Grants.gov using 
the electronic SF424 (R&R) application. This announcement will stay active for 
only the May 1, 2006 AIDS and AIDS-related application submission date for these 
mechanisms. The non-AIDS portion of this funding opportunity for these mechanisms 
expires on the date indicated below. Other mechanisms relating to this announcement 
will continue to be accepted using paper PHS 398 applications until the stated 
expiration date below, or transition to electronic application submission. Parent 
R03 (PA-06-180) and R21 (PA-06-181) funding opportunity announcements have been 
issued for the submission date of June 1, 2006 and submission dates for AIDS and 
non-AIDS applications thereafter. Applications relating to R33 and R34 activities 
must be in response to NIH Institute/Center (IC)-specific announcements.

EXPIRATION DATE:  May 19, 2006

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
 (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBER:  93.242

THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

o  Purpose of the PA
o  Research Objectives
o  Mechanism(s) of Support
o  Eligible Institutions
o  Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o  Where to Send Inquiries
o  Submitting an Application
o  Peer Review Process
o  Review Criteria
o  Award Criteria
o  Required Federal Citations

PURPOSE OF THIS PA

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites research grant 
applications for multidisciplinary/translational research, especially 
mixed-methods research, that will explore (a) the individual, social, and 
service system conditions necessary for people with psychiatric disabilities to 
reintegrate into community life; (b) the organizational and service system 
conditions necessary to enable service providers to facilitate that 
reintegration; and (c) the effectiveness of rehabilitation strategies and 
programs in helping socioculturally diverse individuals who have widely varying 
goals, material and social resources, and clinical needs.  This research has 
typically been called "disability" or "psychiatric rehabilitation" research.  
Historically, however, this research has focused fairly narrowly on the use of 
services; compliance; symptom reduction; easily assessed criteria of social and 
vocational success; and cost.  The goal of this program announcement (PA) is to 
encourage researchers to think beyond usual assumptions underlying 
"psych rehab," program fidelity, and outcomes assessment and to encourage a 
focus on the individuals within and outside rehabilitation programs, who must 
function within personal, organizational, service system, cultural, and societal 
boundaries to achieve a return to community life.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

For more than 30 years, the research in psychiatric rehabilitation has become 
increasingly sophisticated and rigorous.  However, the conclusions that one can 
draw from the literature that are relevant to consumers remain unchanged:  
People with severe psychiatric disorders can learn skills and adaptive behaviors 
that make community living possible; drug treatment alone is not sufficient; 
neither the diagnostic label nor the symptomatology determines adaptive 
capabilities; the benefits of therapies received and skills learned in one 
context do not automatically transfer to other contexts; and the academic 
credentials of the mental health professional providing care do not predict 
consumer outcomes.  Recent reviews of the literature support these conclusions.

However, it is now time to focus on research that will do more than replicate 
old findings.  This PA is designed to encourage researchers to move beyond 
traditional questions, perspectives, and methods of research.  The goal is to 
change the focus from assessing therapies, skills training, service models, and 
program fidelity to a focus on research designed to expedite and ease the 
reintegration into the community of those with psychiatric disabilities.  The 
research should address the social and physical isolation experienced by 
consumers who need to develop socioculturally meaningful and useful bridges 
back to valued social roles.  It also needs to deal with the regulatory, 
organizational, and professional barriers that case workers, whether they are 
licensed social workers or peer providers, experience in trying to do their 
jobs.

Research Topics

The following are examples of broad research topics that might be the focus of 
research on reintegration of people with psychiatric disabilities.  This list 
is not meant to be comprehensive, nor are the examples meant to be exclusive of 
other topics.

o  Using social and behavioral science theories, such as those on social 
support, social networks, and culture, determine under what conditions 
self-help, peer providers, and peer-run programs and organizations can improve 
outcomes for consumers.  Determine under what conditions nonprofessional, 
nonpeer, community-based supporters can improve outcomes.

o  Determine how organizational culture and climate impact the effectiveness of 
self-help organizations, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, Independent 
Placement and Support (IPS) programs, and other rehabilitation programs.

o  Identify system, organizational, dyadic, and individual components that are 
necessary to maximize consumer engagement in rehab programs, the transition to 
rehab readiness, and an alliance of trust between the provider and client.  
Identify necessary components of community support and how these components 
vary across individuals from various sociocultural and economic backgrounds.

o  Identify and test strategies to help employers accept, train, and support 
employees with mental illnesses who are working to reintegrate into the 
community.  Using behavioral science theory as a guide, identify conditions 
required in employment situations for coworkers to accept those with severe 
mental illness as fellow employees.

o  Test assessment strategies (such as computerized adaptive testing), 
validation techniques (such as cognitive testing), and measurement theories 
(such as Item Response Theory (IRT)) to improve the assessment capabilities of 
DSM Axes IV and V, across populations and settings.

o  Investigate methods to allow for outcome measurement based on consumer 
preferences and reintegration goals.

o  Improve the measurement validity of concepts critical to reintegration: 
continuity of care; alliance/trust/attachment; readiness; recovery; meaningful, 
though not necessarily dramatic, measures of progress (smiling, joining a 
group); empowerment; self-determination; quality of life (a quality that is 
contextually and personally relevant); future orientation (goals, hopes, dreams 
for a life beyond illness).  Develop or adapt measures that assess the social 
and psychological context in which a person with psychiatric disabilities lives 
(such as the presence of acceptance, warmth, respect, understanding, an 
"environment of opportunities"; and an "atmosphere of dependency". 

o  Using behavioral and social theories to understand the underlying dynamics, 
test the components of multicomponent rehabilitation interventions (such as ACT 
and IPS) across populations and settings to determine how and why they work 
when they do.  Determine if there are components of a program that are 
culturally inappropriate or irrelevant for some populations.

o  Determine how, when, and with whom neurocognitive testing can be used to 
identify specific remedial strategies to further client reintegration into the 
community.  Develop and test interventions that specifically target cognitive 
deficits to determine their effectiveness.  Investigate the links among 
remediation strategies, cognitive test results, brain scan changes, and 
improved functioning.

o  Investigate methods for disseminating programs to populations in 
sociocultural environments, economic circumstances, and geographic regions 
different from those in which the programs were created.  Investigate the 
validity and utility of mixed methods approaches for determining whether a 
program is adhering to standards (fidelity) and improving client outcomes.

MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT 

This PA will use the NIH Research Project Grant (R01), Exploratory/Developmental 
Grant (R21), and Small Grant (R03) award mechanisms.  As an applicant, you will 
be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed 
project.

Information on the Small Grant (R03) is available at:  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-108.html.

Information on the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) is available at:  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-107.html.

This PA uses just-in-time concepts.  It also uses the modular as well as the 
non-modular budgeting formats (see 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm).  Specifically, if 
you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or 
less, use the modular format.  Otherwise follow the instructions for non-modular 
research grant applications.

ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS 

You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the following 
characteristics:

o  For-profit or non-profit organizations
o  Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, 
and laboratories
o  Units of State and local governments
o  Eligible agencies of the Federal government
o  Domestic or foreign
o  Faith-based organizations

INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out 
the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an 
application for support.  Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic 
groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply 
for NIH programs.

WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES

We encourage your inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity to 
answer questions from potential applicants.  Inquiries may fall into two areas:  
scientific/research and financial or grants management issues:

o  Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to:

Ann A. Hohmann, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Division of Services and Intervention Research
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7135, MSC 9631
Bethesda, MD  20892-9631
Telephone:  (301) 443-4235
Email:  [email protected]

o  Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to:

Joy R. Knipple
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6115, MSC 9605
Bethesda, MD  20892-9605
Telephone:  (301) 443-8811
FAX:  (301) 443-6885
Email:  [email protected]

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application 
instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001).  The PHS 398 is available at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format.  
For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: 
[email protected].

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATES:  Applications submitted in response to this program 
announcement will be accepted at the standard application deadlines, which are 
available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm.  Application deadlines are 
also indicated in the PHS 398 application kit.

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODULAR GRANT APPLICATIONS:  Applications requesting 
up to $250,000 per year in direct costs must be submitted in a modular grant 
format.  The modular grant format simplifies the preparation of the budget in 
these applications by limiting the level of budgetary detail.  Applicants 
request direct costs in $25,000 modules.  Section C of the research grant 
application instructions for the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step 
guidance for preparing modular grants.  Additional information on modular 
grants is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm.

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATIONS REQUESTING $500,000 OR MORE PER YEAR: 
Applications requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs for any year must 
include a cover letter identifying the NIH staff member within one of NIH 
institutes or centers who has agreed to accept assignment of the application.

Applicants requesting more than $500,000 must carry out the following steps:

1) Contact the IC program staff at least 6 weeks before submitting the
application, i.e., as you are developing plans for the study;

2) Obtain agreement from the IC staff that the IC will accept your application 
for consideration for award; and,

3) Identify, in a cover letter sent with the application, the staff member and 
IC who agreed to accept assignment of the application.

This policy applies to all investigator-initiated new (type 1), competing 
continuation (type 2), competing supplement, or any amended or revised version 
of these grant application types.  Additional information on this policy is 
available in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, October 19, 2001 at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-004.html.

SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH:  Submit a signed, typewritten original of 
the application, including the checklist, and five signed photocopies in one 
package to:

Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD  20892-7710
Bethesda, MD  20817 (for express/courier service)

APPLICATION PROCESSING:  Applications must be received by the receipt dates 
described at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm.  The 
CSR will not accept any application in response to this PA that is essentially 
the same as one currently pending initial review unless the applicant withdraws 
the pending application.  The CSR will not accept any application that is 
essentially the same as one already reviewed.  This does not preclude the 
submission of a substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but 
such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique.

Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an application, 
applicants are generally notified of the review and funding assignment within 8 
weeks.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Applications submitted for this PA will be assigned on the basis of established 
PHS referral guidelines.  An appropriate scientific review group convened in 
accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures 
(http://www.csr.nih.gov/refrev.htm) will evaluate applications for scientific 
and technical merit.

As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:

o  Receive a written critique
o  Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have 
the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under 
review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o  Receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council 
or board

REVIEW CRITERIA

The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of 
biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health.  In the 
written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of 
your application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research 
will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals:

o  Significance
o  Approach
o  Innovation
o  Investigator
o  Environment

The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria in 
assigning your application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate for 
each application.  Your application does not need to be strong in all 
categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve 
a high priority score.  For example, you may propose to carry out important 
work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field 
forward.

(1) SIGNIFICANCE:  Does your study address an important problem? If the aims of 
your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge?  What 
will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this 
field?

(2) APPROACH:  Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses 
adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the 
project?  Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative 
tactics?

(3) INNOVATION:  Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? 
Are the aims original and innovative?  Does your project challenge existing 
paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?

(4) INVESTIGATOR:  Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out 
this work?  Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the 
principal investigator and to that of other researchers (if any)?

(5) ENVIRONMENT:  Does the scientific environment in which your work will be 
done contribute to the probability of success?  Do the proposed experiments 
take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful 
collaborative arrangements?  Is there evidence of institutional support?

ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, the following 
items will be considered in the determination of scientific merit and the 
priority score:

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS FROM RESEARCH RISK: The involvement of human 
subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in 
the proposed research will be assessed. (See criteria included in the section 
on Federal Citations, below).

INCLUSION OF WOMEN, MINORITIES AND CHILDREN IN RESEARCH: The adequacy of plans 
to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and 
subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the 
research will be assessed.  Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects 
will also be evaluated. (See Inclusion Criteria in the sections on Federal 
Citations, below).

CARE AND USE OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS IN RESEARCH: If vertebrate animals are to be 
used in the project, the five items described under Section f of the PHS 398 
research grant application instructions (rev. 5/2001) will be assessed.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 

DATA SHARING:  The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data.

BUDGET:  The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of 
support in relation to the proposed research.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications submitted in response to a PA will compete for available funds 
with all other recommended applications.  The following will be considered in 
making funding decisions:

o  Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review
o  Availability of funds
o  Relevance to program priorities

REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS

HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTION:  Federal regulations (45CFR46) require that 
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with 
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against 
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, 
and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained.
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm. 

MONITORING PLAN AND DATA AND SAFETY MONITORING BOARD:  Research components 
involving Phase I and II clinical trials must include provisions for assessment 
of patient eligibility and status, rigorous data management, quality assurance, 
and auditing procedures.  In addition, it is NIH policy that all clinical 
trials require data and safety monitoring, with the method and degree of 
monitoring being commensurate with the risks (NIH Policy for Data and Safety 
Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 12, 1998: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH:  It is the policy of 
the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must 
be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear and 
compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate 
with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research.  This 
policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public 
Law 103-43).

All investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines 
for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research - 
Amended, October, 2001," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on 
October 9, 2001 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-
001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.  
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical 
research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB 
standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical 
trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles and 
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community.  The policy 
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: 
a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of 
plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender 
and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and 
b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, 
as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.

INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS:  
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 
21) must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by 
the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.  
This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt 
dates after October 1, 1998.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the 
"NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in 
research involving human subjects that is available at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm.

REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS:  NIH policy 
requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all 
investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human subjects.  
You will find this policy announcement in the NIH Guide for Grants and 
Contracts Announcement, dated June 5, 2000, at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.

HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS (hESC):  Criteria for federal funding of research on 
hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html.  Only 
research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem 
Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (see http://escr.nih.gov).  
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the official NIH 
identifier(s)for the hESC line(s)to be used in the proposed research.  
Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without 
review.

PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT:  The 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to 
provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) under some circumstances.  Data that are (1) first produced in a project 
that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly 
and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force 
and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA.  It is 
important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment.  NIH 
has provided guidance at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.

Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public archive, 
which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an 
indefinite period of time.  If so, the application should include a description 
of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in 
the budget justification section of the application.  In addition, applicants 
should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human 
subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under 
this award.

STANDARDS FOR PRIVACY OF INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION:  The 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued final modification to the 
"Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information," the 
"Privacy Rule," on August 14, 2002.  The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation 
under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 
that governs the protection of individually identifiable health information, 
and is administered and enforced by the DHHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).  
Those who must comply with the Privacy Rule (classified under the Rule as 
"covered entities") must do so by April 14, 2003  (with the exception of small 
health plans which have an extra year to comply).

Decisions about applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside 
with the researcher and his/her institution.  The OCR website 
(http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/) provides information on the Privacy Rule, including 
a complete Regulation Text and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered 
entity?"  Information on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes 
involving the review, funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative 
agreements, and research contracts can be found at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.

URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES:  All applications and proposals 
for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations.  
Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) 
should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because 
reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites.  Furthermore, we 
caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly 
access an Internet site.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010:  The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving 
the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," 
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This PA is related to 
one or more of the priority areas.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy of 
"Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS:  This program is described in the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the 
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health 
Systems Agency review.  Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 
and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and 
under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.  All awards are 
subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations 
described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.  The NIH Grants Policy Statement 
can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free 
workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products.  In addition, Public 
Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain 
facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or 
routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood 
development services are provided to children.  This is consistent with the PHS 
mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American 
people.



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