The world’s premier mental-health research organization, NIMH seeks to improve the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of mental disorders that affect millions of adults, children and adolescents. It also serves as an informational and educational clearinghouse, communicating information about the brain, mental health and related research to the public, scientists, news media and healthcare providers. NIMH is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American government’s principal biomedical and behavioral-research agency which in turn falls under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

NIMH supports both internal and external research on mental disorders, neuroscience and behavior. It funds external research through grants or contracts awarded both nationally and internationally to scientists from universities or research facilities.

Scientists in the field initiate most of these studies, examining issues such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and eating disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS and the delivery, financing, quality and costs of mental-health services. NIMH also identifies gaps in research and solicits applications from scientists to conduct needed studies.

NIMH’s own large internal research program supports basic and clinical studies in areas that include genetics, psycho-immunology and brain imaging. Its internal program trains scientists from around the world, helping to meet research shortages in basic brain research, clinical studies on mental and behavioral disorders, as well as the organizational and financial aspects of mentalhealth services. NIMH also actively works to increase hiring of women and minority researchers and clinicians.