National Institute of Mental Health Publication

NIMH envisions a world in which mental illnesses are prevented and cured. The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure.

For the Institute to continue fulfilling this vital public health mission, it must foster innovative thinking and ensure that a full array of novel scientific perspectives are used to further discovery in the evolving science of brain, behavior, and experience. In this way, breakthroughs in science can become breakthroughs for all people with mental illnesses.

In support of this mission, NIMH will generate research and promote research training to fulfill the following four objectives:

• Promote discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences to fuel research on the causes of mental disorders
• Chart mental illness trajectories to determine when, where, and how to intervene
• Develop new and better interventions that incorporate the diverse needs and circumstances of people with mental illnesses
• Strengthen the public health impact of NIMH-supported research