Rural Health partners with the National Institute of Mental Health

The Center for Rural Health at UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences has been selected as the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) outreach partner for the state of North Dakota. The Center joins a nationwide network of organizations that educates the public about mental and substance use disorders, and scientific progress in these areas to promote the prevention, early detection and treatment of these disorders and reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with them.

Through the Outreach Partnership Program, NIMH strives to increase public awareness about the importance of basic, translational and clinical research to the understanding, prevention and treatment of mental illnesses and addiction disorders, paving the way for recovery and cures. NIMH also seeks the input of its partners from national and state organizations to strengthen the public health impact of the research it conducts and funds through better understanding of community needs. In addition to 55 partners from every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, over 80 national organizations participate in the program, representing the patient, professional, advocacy and service-related communities primarily concerned with mental health, alcoholism and drug use disorders.

The NIMH provides the Partners with research updates, opportunities to network with state and national organizations through an annual meeting and other regional meetings, access to NIMH publications for statewide distribution and an annual stipend.

The Center for Rural Health was founded in 1980 by The UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Center is one of the nation’s most experienced organizations committed to providing leadership in rural health. The Center serves as a resource to researchers, educators, policymakers and health care providers across the state of North Dakota and the nation. Activities are targeted toward identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns. The Center’s mission is to connect resources and knowledge to strengthen the health of people in rural communities.

Outreach Partners are chosen through a competitive process in which applications are reviewed by a panel of experts and NIMH staff. The Program is an initiative of the NIMH with support from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal government’s principal biomedical and behavioral research agency. NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.