Outreach Partners Selected in 2006
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has selected 26 new partners for its Outreach Partnership Program after a year-long competitive process. This national outreach and education initiative recruits organizations from each state and the District of Columbia to increase public awareness of mental illnesses and addiction disorders. The Outreach Partnership Program strives to bridge the gap between mental health research and clinical practice.
The new Outreach Partners are:
| State/District | Organization |
|---|---|
| California | Mental Health Association in California |
| Colorado | Mental Health Association of Colorado |
| Connecticut | NAMI Connecticut |
| Florida | Mental Health Association of Broward County |
| Georgia | National Mental Health Association of Georgia |
| Idaho | Institute of Rural Health, Idaho State University |
| Kansas | Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas |
| Kentucky | Mental Health Association of Northern Kentucky |
| Louisiana | Mental Health Association in Louisiana |
| Maine | NAMI Maine |
| Maryland | Mental Health Association of Maryland, Inc. |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc. |
| Minnesota | Mental Health Association of Minnesota |
| Nebraska | Boys Town National Research Hospital |
| New Hampshire | NAMI New Hampshire |
| New Jersey | NAMI New Jersey |
| New York | NAMI New York State |
| Ohio | NAMI Ohio |
| Pennsylvania | Mental Health Association of Allegheny County |
| South Carolina | Mental Health Association of South Carolina |
| Tennessee | Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee |
| Texas | Mental Health Association in Texas |
| Utah | NAMI Utah |
| Vermont | Vermont Association for Mental Health |
| Wisconsin | Mental Health Association in Milwaukee County |
Visit the Outreach Partners page for a complete list of current partners.
The Outreach Partnership Program now has a total of 49 state partners, including the District of Columbia. In addition to the state Outreach Partners, there are also over 80 National Partners, including professional, consumer, advocacy, and service-related organizations that represent groups primarily concerned with mental health, alcoholism, and drug abuse disorders. The Partnership is an initiative of the NIMH with support from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA).
Outreach Partners work to increase public awareness of the critical role research plays in expanding the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Each partner conducts a statewide mental health outreach and education program to deliver science-based messages to the public, a broad range of health professionals, and traditionally underserved populations. Partners also collaborate with universities and other research institutions to increase opportunities for volunteer participation in NIMH and NIH sponsored clinical studies.
The NIMH provides Outreach Partners with research updates, opportunities to network with state and national organizations at the Program’s annual meeting and other regional meetings, access to NIMH educational publications, and a small annual stipend. The NIMH website has more information on the NIMH Outreach Partnership Program.
