mental health

Dept. of Ed Seeks Input on Mental and Behavioral Health of Students in Higher Education

The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) within the Department of Education (DOE) has issued a request for information (RFI) regarding support systems for the mental and behavioral health of students in higher education. Recognizing the rising rates of depression and anxiety over the past two decades, OPE seeks successful examples of addressing student mental health and substance use disorder needs, transforming campus cultures at institutions of higher education (IHEs), and receiving support from State higher education agencies. Further, OPE seeks to understand challenges that IHEs face in implementing solutions. Comments are requested by February 25 and can be submitted here. This article was…

Dr. Mark Chan and Dr. Dennis P. Stolle from APA Answer “Why Social Science?”

This month’s Why Social Science? post comes from Dr. Mark Chan and Dr. Dennis P. Stolle from the American Psychological Association who write about the importance of a psychologically healthy workplace.  Read on for more.

NIMH Launches New Podcast Series to Commemorate its 75th Anniversary

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in celebration of its 75th anniversary, announced the inauguration of their new podcast series, “Mental Health Matters”. This series aims to dive deep into the narrative journeys of key figures making strides in mental health research while also spotlighting the experiences of individuals navigating life with mental health challenges. Episode one is titled, “Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide.” The episode features a compelling conversation between NIMH’s Director, Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, and Dr. Arielle Sheftall, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of…

American Psychological Association Highlights New Research Efforts on Social Media’s Impact on Adolescents

On September 7, Research!America hosted a discussion with the American Psychological Association (APA). During the discussion, APA’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Mitch Prinstein, shared APA’s new research focus on the effects of social media use on adolescents. The findings highlight the need for further investment into social science research that informs safer policy and ensures healthier online environments for our nation’s youth. A few critical concerns from the research study include: In his concluding remarks, Dr. Prinstein underscored the importance of platform transparency and advocated for social media literacy initiatives to help pave the way for a safer digital future.APA is actively looking into…

Biden Administration Releases Report on Mental Health Research

The Biden Administration, alongside the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Domestic Policy Council (DPC), released a report on Mental Health Research Priorities. The blueprint follows the Administration’s Strategy to Address Our National Mental Health Crisis within the Unity Agenda released in March of last year, and received funding through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022. Among the priorities are: advancing mental health intervention and treatment through improving digital intervention and treatment methods; improving treatment for serious mental illness; preventing suicide; and expanding the mental health workforce while providing improved support. The report also…

Nominations Open for 2023 James S. Jackson Memorial Award

The National Institute of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking nominations for the 2023 James S. Jackson Memorial Award. This award, named in memoriam for previous University of Michigan Professor of Psychology and former COSSA president James S. Jackson, honors an outstanding researcher with demonstrated exceptional individual achievement and leadership in mental health disparities research.  Award recipients will also have shown excellence in mentorship, influence, and defined support of trainees. Nominations will be accepted through May 10, 2023. Read more information about the award’s criteria, application, and selection process here.

Congress Continues to Hint at Upcoming Mental Health Package

On April 5, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health met to discuss legislation to support American mental health and well-being. The hearing, overseen by Subcommittee Chair Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Ranking Member Brett Guthrie (R-KY), is one of many Congressional hearings held in the past few months focused on potential policy solutions related to mental health (see previous coverage for more details). The hearing included two panels of experts. The first panel featured Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, and Administrator at…

Senate Discusses Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders, Hints at Bipartisan Legislation

On March 23, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing to discuss the national mental health and substance use disorder crisis and the federal programs being used to address these issues. The hearing, overseen by Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC), is one of many Congressional hearings held in the past few months focused on potential policy solutions related to mental health (see previous coverage for more details). The witnesses present at the hearing were Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services…

Congress Continues Focus on Mental Health in Subcommittee Hearing

On February 17, the House Energy and Commerce Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the national mental health crisis and plans to address it. The hearing, overseen by Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Ranking Member Morgan Griffith (R-VA), is the third Congressional hearing in the past month focused on potential policy solutions related to mental health (see previous coverage for more details). The witnesses present at the hearing were American Psychiatric Association member and vice-chair of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco Dr. Lisa Fortuna, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University Dr….

Congress Holds Hearings on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Earlier this month, the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held hearings to discuss issues related to mental health, including youth mental health and substance use disorders. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy was the sole witness at the Finance Committee’s hearing, while the HELP Committee featured Chief Science Officer of the American Psychological Association Dr. Mitch Prinstein (a member of the COSSA Board of Directors), Vice Chair of Education in the Psychiatry Department at Boston Medical Center Dr. Michelle Durham, Director of the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other…

House Committee Holds Hearing on COVID-19 Impacts on Children, Highlights Mental Health Impacts

On September 22, the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C) held a hearing to address the public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. Witnesses included President of the American Academy of Pediatrics Dr. Lee Savio Beers, President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Dr. Margaret G. Rush, Chief Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association (a COSSA governing member) Dr. Arthur Evans, founder of VaxTeen Kelly Danielpour, and Epidemiologist Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg. Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO), Ranking Member Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and full Committee Chair…

Congress Holds Hearings on Behavioral Health

Over the past several weeks, Congressional Committees have held several hearings to discuss mental and behavioral health care, including mental health parity and emergency response to mental health crises. On April 15, the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on “Meeting the Moment: Improving Access to Behavioral and Mental Health Care.” The Subcommittee heard testimony from Chief of Psychology in the Public Interest at the American Psychological Association (APA) Brian Smedley, Chief Medical Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Christine Moutier, Senior Vice President of Health Policy at The ERISA…

NRC Workshop Discusses Changing Social Norms

The National Research Council’s Committee on the Science of Changing Behavioral Health Norms held its first workshop on March 18, “Lessons Learned from Diverse Efforts to Change Social Norms.” The project, which is housed within the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences, is co-sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The committee is charged with helping SAMHSA “implement strategies that improve attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders.” Sessions focused on messaging strategies, methods for…

Aging and Mental Health Institutes Seek Comments on Draft Strategic Plans

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking public comment on the development of the Institutes’ strategic plans. The plans will guide the Institutes’ research priorities. National Institute on Aging The NIA recently released a request for information (RFI) seeking guidance on its strategic plan, Aging Well in the 21st Century: Strategic Directions for Research on Aging. The draft plan outlines NIA’s broad strategic directions for the Institute and “provides a point of reference for setting priorities and a framework for systematically analyzing the Institute’s…

NCHS Brief Looks at Depression and Obesity

A new data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) examines the relationship between obesity and depression. It found that 43 percent of adults with depression were obese and that adults with depression were more likely to be obese, particularly women. In addition, as the severity of depression symptoms increased, so did the proportion of those with obesity. And over half of people whose symptoms were not relieved by medication were obese. The report observes, “It is not clear whether depression or obesity occurred first because they were both measured at the same time. Other studies have shown…

House Subcommittee Discusses Suicide Prevention and Treatment

On September 18, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing, “Suicide Prevention and Treatment: Helping Loved Ones in Mental Health Crisis.” Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), a psychologist, explained that the hearing was an attempt to “take the conversation about suicide out of the dark shadow of stigma and into the bright light of truth and hope. Suicide is the deadly outcome of mental illness. Suicide is when depression kills. Suicide is an epidemic and its impact is staggering.”

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