DISSEMINATION RESEARCH IN MENTAL HEALTH Release Date: March 5, 1999 PA NUMBER: PA-99-068 P.T. National Institute of Mental Health THIS PA USES "MODULAR GRANT" AND "JUST-IN-TIME" CONCEPTS. THIS PA INCLUDES DETAILED MODIFICATIONS TO STANDARD APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS THAT MUST BE USED WHEN PREPARING AN APPLICATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS PA. PURPOSE National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites applications for studies addressing factors influencing the dissemination of mental health research knowledge across mental health service settings. The purpose of this announcement is to stimulate research on the array of influences, and their interaction, that beneficially or adversely affect the adoption of valid mental health research findings into clinical practice, and to promote the development of a sound knowledge base on the effectiveness of knowledge dissemination interventions. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS led national activity for setting priority areas. This Program Announcement (PA), Dissemination Research in Mental Health, is related to the priority area of Mental Health and Mental Disorders. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" at http://www.crisny.org/health/us/health7.html ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non- profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Foreign institutions are not eligible for Small (R03) awards. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This program announcement will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) individual research project grant (R01) and small grant (R03) mechanisms. The small grant (R03) mechanism is limited to $50,000 per year for no more than two years. Small Grants (R03) are not renewable. Applicants considering the R03 mechanism are strongly encouraged to consult with program staff listed under INQUIRIES and to obtain the appropriate program announcement for that grant mechanism. Further information on the NIMH R03 mechanism is available at: http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-97-015.html Specific application instructions have been modified to reflect the "MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION AND AWARD" process which has been adopted by the NIH (see the NIH Guide, December 15, 1998). For this PA, funds must be requested in $25,000 direct cost modules. A feature of the modular grant is that no escalation is provided for future years, and all anticipated expenses for all years of the project must be included within the number of modules being requested. Only limited budget information is required and any budget adjustments made by the Initial Review Group will be in modules of $25,000. More detailed information about modular grant applications, including a sample budget narrative justification pages and a sample biographical sketch, is available via the Internet at url: http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this PA may not exceed five years. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Mental health research has increasingly yielded substantial knowledge on the diagnosis, treatment, and course of mental illness. Ensuring the timely transfer and utilization of this research knowledge, as part of the effort to improve the quality of mental health care, has long been an issue of concern. At best, the dissemination of research knowledge has been uneven in its implementation and variable in its consequences. Common approaches to delivering research knowledge such as publication in professional journals, continuing education programs, and the establishment of clinical guidelines have had limited and often unpredictable utility in influencing clinical practice. Gaps in implementing valid research-based strategies and interventions have hindered the effective delivery of mental health services. It is recognized that the effective implementation of research findings requires substantially more than the mere distribution or dissemination of information. There is a need for research on strategies for moving evidence-based knowledge into broader use in clinical care, and for examining the factors which, adversely or beneficially, influence the adoption of current knowledge into clinical practice and policy. This program announcement addresses the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge from two perspectives. Primarily, it is designed to promote research that moves beyond the effectiveness of clinical trials to determine the impact of dissemination methods on improving clinical practice. Outcomes of interest focus on which dissemination methods most effectively promote the use of data from effectiveness trials in clinical practice. Additionally, however, the program announcement also encourages investigations on the relative effectiveness of alternative dissemination interventions for promoting programs of mental health education. In order to encompass the broad range of factors that promote the adoption of research-based change in clinical practice and policy in a variety of settings, studies to be encouraged range from psychological and social factors influencing decision-making by practitioners and consumers, to investigations targeting large-scale service delivery systems and funding sources. Emphasis is placed upon the testing of interventions and strategies that will change practice and policy. Specifically, this program announcement is designed to: (1) stimulate research on the factors that beneficially or adversely affect the adoption of evidence- based mental health treatments into clinical practice and mental health service systems; (2) identify the factors that influence the delivery of mental health treatments and that contribute to their adherence by consumers and providers; (3) test alternative approaches to dissemination of effective interventions; and (4) promote the development of a sound knowledge base on the effectiveness and applicability of knowledge dissemination interventions. Areas of support include, but are not limited to: o Analysis of strategies and factors influencing the adoption and utilization of valid mental health research knowledge, ranging from the psychological and social factors affecting individual practitioners and groups to investigations addressing large service delivery systems and funding sources. o Experimental studies to test individual and systemic dissemination strategies o Studies of efforts to implement treatments or clinical procedures of demonstrated efficacy in existing care systems to measure the extent to which such procedures are utilized, and adhered to, by providers and consumers o Development of outcome measures for dissemination approaches o Longitudinal and follow-up studies on the factors which contribute to maintaining research-based improvements in clinical practice. o Studies testing the utility of alternative dissemination strategies for service delivery systems targeting rural, minority, and/or other underserved populations. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 11, March 18, 1994 available on the web at the following URL address: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them. This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt dates after October 1, 1998. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Children as Participants in Research Involving Human Subjects" that was published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the following URL address: http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the program contacts listed under INQUIRIES with any questions regarding their proposed project. Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) and will be accepted at the standard application deadlines as indicated in the application kit. Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Applications are also available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS o FACE PAGE: Items 7a and 7b should be completed, indicating Direct Costs (in $25,000 increments) and Total Costs [Modular Total Direct plus Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs] for the initial budget period. Items 8a and 8b should be completed indicating the Direct and Total Costs for the entire proposed period of support. o DETAILED BUDGET FOR THE INITIAL BUDGET PERIOD - Do not complete Form Page 4 of the PHS 398. It is not required and will not be accepted with the application. o BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE PROPOSED PERIOD OF SUPPORT - Do not complete the categorical budget table on Form Page 5 of the PHS 398. It is not required and will not be accepted with the application. o NARRATIVE BUDGET JUSTIFICATION - Use a Modular Grant Budget Narrative page. (See http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm for sample pages.) At the top of the page, enter the total direct costs requested for each year. o Under Personnel, list key project personnel, including their names, percent of effort, and roles on the project. No individual salary information should be provided. For Consortium/Contractual costs, provide an estimate of total costs (direct plus facilities and administrative) for each year, each rounded to the nearest $1,000. List the individuals/organizations with whom consortium or contractual arrangements have been made, the percent effort of key personnel, and the role on the project. The total cost for a consortium/contractual arrangement is included in the overall requested modular direct cost amount. Provide an additional narrative budget justification for any variation in the number of modules requested. o BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH - The Biographical Sketch provides information used by reviewers in the assessment of each individual's qualifications for a specific role in the proposed project, as well as to evaluate the overall qualifications of the research team. A biographical sketch is required for all key personnel, following the instructions below. No more than three pages may be used for each person. A sample biographical sketch may be viewed at: http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm - Complete the educational block at the top of the form page; - List current position(s) and then previous positions; - List selected peer-reviewed publications, with full citations; - Provide information, including overall goals and responsibilities, on research projects ongoing or completed during the last three years. o OTHER SUPPORT - Form Page 7. This form must be completed for applications in response to this PA to allow awards to be negotiated and made on or before September 30, 1999. o CHECKLIST - This page should be completed and submitted with the application. If the F&A rate agreement has been established, indicate the type of agreement and the date. It is important to identify all exclusions that were used in the calculation of the F&A costs for the initial budget period and all future budget years. The applicant should provide the name and phone number of the individual to contact concerning fiscal and administrative issues if additional information is necessary following the initial review. Applications not conforming to these guidelines will be considered unresponsive to this PA and will be returned without further review. Applicants planning to submit an investigator-initiated new (type 1), competing continuation (type 2), competing supplement, or any amended/revised version of the preceding grant application types requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs for any year are advised that he or she must contact Institute program staff before submitting the application, i.e., as plans for the study are being developed. Furthermore, the applicant must identify, in a cover letter sent with the application, both the staff member and the Institute which have agreed to accept assignment of the application. This policy requires an applicant to obtain agreement for acceptance of both any such application and any subsequent amendment. Refer to the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 20, 1998, located at: http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-030.html The title and number of the program announcement must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and five signed photocopies in one package to: CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (express/courier service) REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines. Applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and may undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board, when applicable. Review Criteria The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. (1) Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) Innovation: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or method? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) Investigator: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)? (5) Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? The initial review group will also examine: the appropriateness of proposed project budget and duration; the adequacy of plans to include both genders, minorities and their subgroups, and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research and plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects; the provisions for the protection of human and animal subjects; and the safety of the research environment. AWARD CRITERIA Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved applications assigned to NIMH. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of funds, and program priority. INQUIRIES Inquiries are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Harold Goldstein, Ph.D. Division of Services and Intervention Research National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7146 MSC 9631 Bethesda, MD 20892-9631 Telephone: (301) 443-3747 FAX: (301) 443-4045 Email: goharold@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Diana S. Trunnell Grants Management Branch National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6115 MSC 9605 Bethesda, MD 20892-9605 Telephone: (301) 443-2805 FAX: (301) 443-6885 Email: Diana_Trunnell@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.242. Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. Awards will be administered under PHS grants policy as stated in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (October 1, 1998). PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke- free workplace and promote the nonuse of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Return to NIH Guide Main Index
Office of Extramural Research (OER) |
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) |
||||||||
Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files. |