Mental Health Research - Research Centers

The mission of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. We fulfill this mission by supporting and conducting research on mental illnesses, health services, and the underlying basic science of the brain and behavior; supporting the training of scientists to carry out basic and clinical mental health research; and communicating with scientists, patients, providers, and the public about mental health research advances and priorities. NIMH has four high-level Goals: • Goal 1: Define the Brain Mechanisms Underlying Complex Behaviors • Goal 2: Examine Mental Illness Trajectories Across the Lifespan • Goal 3: Strive for Prevention and Cures • Goal 4: Strengthen the Public Health Impact of NIMH-Supported Research. These four Goals form a broad roadmap for the Institute’s research priorities, beginning with the fundamental science of the brain and behavior, and extending through evidence-based services that improve public health outcomes.