Department of Health and Human Services


Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Funding Opportunity Title

Disaster Mental Health Research Intervention Center (P60)

Activity Code

P60 Comprehensive Center

Announcement Type

New

Related Notices

  • January 31, 2014 - See Notice NOT-OD-14-047. NIH and AHRQ Extend Due Dates for Applications Due Jan 31-Feb 3 to Feb 4.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

RFA-MH-14-090

Companion Funding Opportunity

None

Number of Applications

See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.242

Funding Opportunity Purpose

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announces a unique opportunity for investigators to utilize diverse but related infrastructure, technology, human, and material resources to plan and implement multiple research projects directed toward improving mental health response to disasters and other emergency events.

This initiative seeks to leverage the existing disaster mental health response infrastructure and workforce to study the integration of evidence-based and promising interventions into current mental health response to disasters. A flexible funding mechanism will allow for pre-planning (in advance of large scale emergencies) between researchers and disaster response providers to develop rigorous intervention and services research studies.

Key Dates
Posted Date

September 20, 2013

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

January 3, 2014

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

January 3, 2014

Application Due Date(s)

(Extended to February 4, 2014 per NOT-OD-14-047) , Originally February 3, 2014, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

May, 2014

Advisory Council Review

August, 2014

Earliest Start Date

September, 2014

Expiration Date

(Extended to February 5, 2014 per NOT-OD-14-047) , Originally February 4, 2014

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

** ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIRED**

NIH’s new Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST) is available for the electronic preparation and submission of multi-project applications through Grants.gov to NIH. Applications to this FOA must be submitted electronically; paper applications will not be accepted. ASSIST replaces the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities and provides many features to enable electronic multi-project application submission and improve data quality, including: pre-population of organization and PD/PI data, pre-submission validation of many agency business rules and the generation of data summaries in the application image used for review.

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts) and where instructions in the Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement


Section I. Funding Opportunity Description


Background

Disasters and large-scale emergency events happen with disturbing frequency. On average, a disaster occurs somewhere in the world each day and in the last 10 years, there has been more than one disaster in the U.S. every week (http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema#sev1). The combination of high prevalence, injury, disruption, as well as the loss of life and resources creates the potential for significant public health and economic challenges, including new and exacerbated mental health needs of community members.

After disasters or emergency events, substantial federal and non-federal mental health resources are made available. Current practice includes brief contact and needs identification with impacted community members, teaching outreach workers how to calm, support and listen to the needs of affected individuals, as well as distribution of tip sheets on coping skills and referrals to specialty care (which may or may not be available or accessible). Although there may be benefit from these efforts, individual and societal benefits derived from current practice have not been empirically demonstrated. Moreover, these efforts are not likely to meet the needs of individuals who will experience more severe and chronic mental health problems nor the segment of the population with pre-existing serious mental illness.

There has been little progress in bringing early intervention into the disaster response context. Both new needs as a result of a disaster as well as existing needs that may be exacerbated by the disaster are of concern. There has also been minimal progress in integrating evidence based services for mental disorders in the time frame when clinical needs can be addressed and the response programs are in the community which may be up to 9 months after a disaster declaration.

In addition, there have been advances in technology that enable real-time, field accessible resources for health and human service referral. While these advances are utilized by some components of the disaster medical response system, these technologies should be integrated into the behavioral/mental health response to enable field workers real-time access to resources.

Research Objectives

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is focused on closing the gap between current disaster mental health response and the state of scientific and clinical knowledge by addressing several of the challenges to rigorous interventional research in the wake of disasters. This FOA seeks applications proposing 1) funding to prepare for and implement time sensitive research, 2) having researchers partner with disaster response organizations prior to a major disaster to leverage the existing response infrastructure and workforce, 3) identifying, a priori, important research questions, 4) developing multiple contingency research plans suitable for several disaster scenarios, and 5) reducing delays in IRB consideration. The long-term goal is to create a data driven foundation for a range of services, beyond current practice, to reduce severity and duration of mental health problems and better address the needs of those with serious mental illness in the wake of disasters.

The overall goals of the proposed studies should focus on determining whether appropriately screened persons may be helped in the first few months after disaster exposure to alter mental health trajectories toward recovery and away from worsening/disorder in a cost effective and clinically meaningful manner. Any funded project should help to develop an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and training of paraprofessionals and professionals. Any intervention has to be grounded in the current available workforce such that it will be feasible in future routine practice. Planning should also be incorporated to determine the impact of various interventions on a broader range of important health and functional outcomes (e.g., co-morbidity, occupational, social and economic functioning, family/parenting). Major research and public health questions to be addressed by this initiative include, but are not limited to: (1) can a broader range of services reduce severity and/or duration of common adjustment problems and better address needs of those with pre-existing conditions; (2) can screening, triage, and intervention be optimized to be practical, scalable and sustainable; and (3) are there long-term benefits (health/mental health co-morbidity, occupational/economic functioning, family/parenting, etc.) of early assistance programs?

Broad objectives of this initiative include:

a) determining whether it is feasible, cost effective, and beneficial to prepare and offer a continuum of coordinated human service and clinical assistance programs (e.g., crisis counseling, psychological first aid [PFA], web-based education and self-care, tele-mental health, cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]) for distress, evidence-based treatment for common mental disorders) to impacted community members and first responders by leveraging the existing mental health workforce (community mental health workers, MRC volunteers, ARC programs, CCP outreach) and technology advances (e.g., telephone therapy, web-based programs) at the State and local levels; and

b) improving care for those with existing serious conditions by using technology for assembling a dynamic registry of services/resources (e.g., in-patient behavioral health facilities, pharmacies, out-patient opioid replacement therapy and antipsychotic medications, primary care medication management) for use by outreach workers and other behavioral health personnel on the ground who screen survivors - providing a single resource for those screening survivors and making the full range of referral options available in real-time to the screener.

Overall Structure of the Disaster Mental Health Research Intervention Center (DMHRIC) and Partnership Expectations

Overall

To ensure efficient conduct of the proposed activities, the Overall DMHRIC structure is expected to address the importance of the problems associated with disaster mental health response that the proposed center will address, how prior activities of DMHRIC investigators and response agencies are relevant to overcoming problems, how the structure of the DMHRIC and research projects to be conducted will facilitate improvements in scientific knowledge, research capacity, and/or clinical practice, and how the activities of the DMHRIC will change the field if the proposed aims are achieved.

Administrative Core

The DMHRIC is encouraged to include administrative and scientific units key to achieving the aims of the Center. This would include administrative and scientific resources related to establishing, implementing and sustaining a functional framework for conducting high-impact disaster intervention and services research projects and research dissemination/implementation activities. Such activities may include general administration, as well as functions to support coordination with service providing organizations/partners, subject recruitment, methodological developments, data management procedures, or statistical analysis across the Center’s activities.

Research Projects

At least two Research Projects should be included to leverage/build on the available response workforce to develop an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and interventions. Research projects should extend beyond current practice, to reduce severity and duration of mental health problems and better address the needs of those with serious mental illness in the wake of disasters.

NIMH is very interested in DMHRIC applications that propose to develop integrated systems that would enable field workers to have real-time access to resources for referral (in-patient beds, open pharmacies, out-patient opioid replacement therapy and antipsychotic medications, primary care medication management, shelter resources, food assistance, lost person locator). This might include technology-based approaches.

Dissemination/Implementation Component

To advance disaster mental health response, a successful DMHRIC should propose activities focused on: 1) translating research findings into healthcare practice, 2) public information dissemination, and 3) education curricula or programs for students, health professionals, and community agencies. Activities should build upon the current disaster workforce partners and move beyond care as usual to translate research findings for improved response.

Partnership Expectations

A key element to this FOA is the researcher/response organization partnership to plan for and then systematically examine screening, counseling, referral, and care as usual as well as standard evidence-based treatments, emerging and promising early-intervention models and technology-based approaches to screening, referral and treatment.

This FOA is predicated upon leveraging human, material, and technology resources that are typically available after disasters for outreach/needs identification, referral and assistance. For example, the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) of the National Library of Medicine develops and provides access to health information resources and technology for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, including tools designed to provide mobile device users access to web-based content http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/disasterapps.html#a1 as well as other technology based resources (e,g, National Hospital Available Beds for Emergencies and Disasters HAvBED https://havbed.hhs.gov/v3/docs/HAvBED%20quick%20start.pdf), in-patient behavioral health bed availability reporting systems http://archive.ahrq.gov/prep/havbed/havbed5.htm, National Housing Locator System, National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System, tools to report on missing/found people such as ReUnite/People Locator).

Moreover, to be considered responsive to this FOA, applications must describe partnerships with one or more governmental or non-governmental organizations that can provide access to disaster workers and community members served by these organizations. NIMH expects that applicants will develop a plan for engaging with at least one, but ideally several response organizations. Agencies and researchers are expected to work together to develop a feasible research plan to leverage existing workforce and programs provided by the agencies but additional requirements of conducting research (including but not limited to IRB approval, consent of participants, and data collection and management) are the responsibility of the research team so as to not contribute additional work or burden to partnering agencies.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Response (ASPR) recognizes many governmental and non-governmental response programs that are relevant to the partnership expectations of this FOA

http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/Pages/default.aspx. While the organizations listed below encompass the major mental health service organizations active after disasters, applicants may partner with additional or alternative organizations likely to be active in disaster field response in health and human services (e.g., State and local agencies, voluntary disaster relief organizations, community organizations) and community facilities (e.g., churches, schools, shelters) where disaster survivors are seen, referred, or served.

NIMH has identified contacts for engaging some of these programs as partners in outreach and screening, referral, delivery of interventions and outcome assessment. Applicants should engage these and other programs in preparing their application.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs

The goals of these services are to reach large numbers of people affected by disasters through face-to-face community-based outreach and psycho-education services after a Presidential disaster Declaration. CCP supports short-term individual and group interventions that involve the counseling goals of assisting disaster survivors in understanding their current situation and reactions, mitigating stress, assisting survivors in reviewing their disaster recovery options, promoting the use or development of coping strategies, providing emotional support, and encouraging linkages with other individuals and agencies who may help survivors in their recovery process. Referrals to other services may also be provided (e.g., other disaster recovery agencies or organizations, substance abuse treatment, or traditional mental health treatment). CCP funds do not support long-term or traditional mental or substance abuse services.

Building on the infrastructure of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a network of 147 crisis centers from across the country, provides support to those affected by disasters. Calls are answered by regional crisis centers to respond to individuals, families, and communities in need of emotional assistance. Brief information, counseling, and resources are provided by phone.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) contact:

Nikki D. Bellamy, Ph.D
Public Health Advisor SAMHSA/CMHS
Prevention, Traumatic Stress, and Special Programs
1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 6-1107
Rockville, MD 20857
240-276-2418
nikki.bellamy@samhsa.hhs.gov

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) programs

In the event of a presidentially declared disaster that includes Individual Assistance, the Governor of the impacted state may request IDCM through direct federal services and/or a federal grant. IDCM is a time-limited process that involves a partnership between a case manager and a disaster survivor to assist with developing and carrying out a Disaster Recovery Plan. This partnership provides the client with a single point of contact to facilitate access to a broad range of resources. The process involves an assessment of the client’s verified disaster caused unmet needs, development of a goal-oriented plan that outlines the steps necessary to achieve recovery, organization and coordination of information on available resources that match the disaster caused needs and the monitoring of progress toward recovery plan goals, and when necessary, client advocacy. The state may choose from several options to initiate implementing DCM for 90 with option to extend 45 days.

Administration for Children and Families contact:

Jonathan White, Ph.D., LCSW-C
Strategic Partnerships and Community Resilience
Administration for Children and Families
Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response
370 L Enfant Promenade SW
Washington DC 20447
202-690-6984
jonathan.white@acf.hhs.gov

American Red Cross (ARC) programs

The relationship between the American Red Cross and the United States Federal government is unique. Although ARC is an independent entity that is organized and exists as a non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable institution pursuant to a charter granted by the United States Congress, ARC maintains a legal status of a federal instrumentality due to chartered requirements to carry out responsibilities delegated by the federal government. ARC responds to 70,000 disasters every year and can offer unique access to disaster clients. Most disasters are single-family fires. Medium- and large-sized disasters include tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires and human-caused events such as transportation incidents and mass casualty shootings. Large disasters are not predictable and periods of time (recently up to 18 months) can elapse where there are no large disaster relief operations. All ARC disaster response begins at the local level, led by one or more of 600 chapters across the country. Disaster events which exceed the capacity of the Red Cross regional and state assets (hundreds to thousands of homes destroyed and/or large numbers of casualties) usually become the jurisdiction of the Red Cross national headquarters which provides technical oversight and facilitates deployment of additional staff and material resources from neighboring states to the affected area. For these larger disasters, out-of-state material and staff resources are usually in place for an average of 2-4 weeks before transitioning the response back to the local chapters. Disaster services to clients include: mental health support for clients and responders provided by master's level, independently-licensed mental health professionals; psychological first aid provided by all disaster responders; health services support provided by nurses and other health professionals; client casework and case management services; sheltering; mobile and fixed feeding; Safe and Well linking via an internet site.

A nationwide cadre of over 5,000 master s-level (or higher), independently-licensed mental health professionals. DMH interventions in the emergency response phase are limited to: triage, secondary assessment, mental health surveillance, crisis intervention, psychoeducation, enhanced psychological first aid, public mental health messaging, and referral services. DMH interventions in the preparedness and recovery phase include community resilience and psychological first aid training. DMH leadership at ARC national headquarters can request that the DMH lead on the disaster relief operation introduce new, just-in-time DMH worker training modules or tools at the outset of the operation and/or collaborate with research teams as they plan and implement their work. Due to the proximity deployment model, whereby DMH responders closest to an affected area are deployed prior to others living further away, any DMH workers receiving just-in-time training at their local ARC chapter would have no guarantee of getting deployed to a particular event.

American Red Cross (ARC) contact:

Valerie Cole, Ph.D. Manager, Health Services and Disaster Mental Health American Red Cross National Headquarters2025 E St. NW Washington, DC 20006 202-303-8621 (o) Valerie.Cole@redcross.org

Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC) programs

MRC is a State/local and Federal Government partnership that engages professional volunteers to strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency. State/local MRC units provide an organization for State/local/Federal partnership in a) pre-identifying volunteer members (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, epidemiologists, interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors and others) who may be able to supplement existing emergency and public health resources, b) verifying professional licensure/certification, and c) training/preparing volunteers for activation in concert with other State, local and Federal resources. Among the more than 200,000 registered MRC volunteers in 2010, there were approximately 9,000 mental health professionals (1,600 physician assistants, and 58,000 nurses) potentially suitable for becoming mental health extenders with training, supervision and support.

Housed in the office of the Surgeon General, the DCVMRC functions as a clearinghouse for information and guidance to help communities establish, implement, and sustain MRC units nationwide. Office activities include strategic planning, evaluation, information sharing and dissemination, intra- and interagency coordination, communications, policy development, program operations, grants management, contract oversight, technical assistance, training and response coordination. These activities are carried out by DCVMRC staff, which includes the MRC Regional Coordinators

Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) contact:

Paul Reed, M.D.
Captain, U.S. Public Health Service
(240) 453-2814
Paul.Reed@hhs.gov

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) programs

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was created to lead the nation in preparing for, responding to and recovering from the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters. Programs supported and organized by the ASPR include the Hospital Preparedness Program, Regional Emergency Coordination Division (RECs), the National Disaster Medical System, and MedMap within the Division of Fusion Analytics. Through these programs, ASPR supports grants to strengthen the capabilities of hospitals and health care systems in public health emergencies and medical disasters; builds relationships with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officials and healthcare representatives for effective federal emergency response; can augment state and local capabilities with Departmental medical professionals, resources, and assets; and brings together data streams relevant to community infrastructure, population demographics, and population health in an interactive geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping system, so that up-to-date information will be immediately available and visualized.

This grant funded nationwide program provides leadership and funding through grants and cooperative agreements to improve surge capacity and enhance community and hospital preparedness for public health emergencies. HPP funding supports enhanced hospital and healthcare system planning and response as well as increased integration and infrastructure to prepare for public health emergencies. The funding provided through the HPP is for activities that include, but are not limited to, exercising and improving preparedness plans for all-hazards including increasing the ability of healthcare systems to provide needed beds, engaging with other responders through interoperable communication systems, tracking bed and resource availability using electronic systems, developing Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) systems, protecting their healthcare workers with proper equipment, decontaminating patients, enabling partnerships/coalitions, educating and training their healthcare workers, enhancing fatality management and healthcare system evacuation/shelter in place plans, and coordinating regional exercises. Information and state contacts for resources, infrastructure and capabilities that could be leveraged at the local, state and regional level are available at http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/hpp/Documents/hpp-healthcare-coalitions.pdf

RECs serve as ASPR’s primary representatives throughout the country at the regional level. Building relationships with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officials and healthcare representatives (partners and stakeholders) in order to conduct planning for effective federal emergency response, and to facilitate coordinated preparedness and response activities for public health and medical emergencies, is the main role of the RECs. This is accomplished in a variety of ways to include: enhancing cross discipline integration among public health and medical and emergency management partners; providing situational awareness to headquarters; responding to events and providing command and control for deployed Departmental resources and assets; and providing exercise support to stakeholders

NDMS supports the Federal medical response to natural or manmade disasters. The NDMS is a federally coordinated system that augments the Nation's medical response capability. The overall purpose of the NDMS is to supplement an integrated national medical response capability for assisting state and local authorities in dealing with the medical impacts of major peacetime disasters and to provide support to the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical systems in caring for casualties evacuated back to the U.S. from overseas armed conventional conflicts. NDMS hires intermittent employees to respond to the various Public Health and Medical Emergencies.

HHS has developed an interactive geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping system, called MedMap, which includes data for resources in a response to any type of hazard such as potential medical care sites and assembly centers in the U.S., evacuation routes, hazards, etc. so that up-to-date information will be immediately available by which to organize the response.

MedMap brings together data streams relevant to community infrastructure (e.g., hospitals and health care resources, pharmacies, Red Cross Shelters, Public & Private Schools, public transportation, evacuation routes), population demographics (e.g., poverty, age, race, marital status, children in household, education, income), and population health data (e.g., health insurance and access, physical and mental health problems, general health, mobility, substance use) and other data layers. MedMap allows visualization of spatial data and resources available and sharing of this information in real time with either a network or defined set of users to improve response operations. MedMap is potentially suitable for establishing pre and post disaster disease burden estimates, identifying potential behavioral and medical service/referral resources, targeting communities for outreach, screening and interventions.

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) contact:

Andrew L. Garrett, MD, MPH
Director, National Disaster Medical System
202-205-7978
andrew.garrett@hhs.gov

David "Marco" Marcozzi, MD, MHS-CL, FACEP
Director, National Healthcare Preparedness Programs
(202) 245-0719
David.Marcozzi@hhs.gov

Joseph Lamana
Director, Regional Emergency Coordination Division
(202) 205-5129
Joseph.Lamana@hhs.gov

Robert M. Shankman, GISP
MedMap Program Coordinator, GIS Program Manager
(202) 205-4748
Robert.Shankman@hhs.gov

State and Territory Disaster Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coordinatorshttp://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/legal/boards/nbsb/Documents/dmhc_dsac_contact_list.pdf

Multi-State Disaster Behavioral Health Consortiumhttp://www.nasmhpd.org/About/rosters/StateDisasterCoord92612.pdf

Community Mental Health Workforce

Although inexact and somewhat dated, estimates suggest that there are in excess of 250,000 clinically active psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatric nurses providing mental health services in the U.S. (SAMHSA Mental Health, United States, 2008). In any disaster impacted community, this workforce is potentially suitable for just-in-time training to deliver CBT for distress utilizing a variety of modalities (face to face, group, telehealth).

Additional resources: emphasis on the needs of those with pre-existing serious mental illness

Beyond working with the response agencies/organizations to identify and engage disaster exposed individuals potentially suitable for inclusion in research projects, applicants are strongly encouraged to consider additional approaches specific to identifying and addressing the needs of persons with pre-existing serious mental illness. NIMH will facilitate access to one or more sources of data suitable for creating registries of vulnerable individuals soon after a disaster. For example, public mental health claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) http://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/About-CMS.html and private health care data from the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN) https://sites.google.com/a/mhresearchnetwork.org/mhrn/ may be available to identify populations at high risk for service interruption, to assemble registries of patients with existing and serious mental health needs, target vulnerable populations for outreach and research interventions, to examine baseline and evolving disease burden in the wake of disasters, and to evaluate the effectiveness (including cost) of various intervention approaches.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

CMS Provides Health Coverage for more than 100 Million people through Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Programs. NIMH has arranged to become a Federal Agency user of CMS claims data, including data use agreements, and will facilitate analyst access to data in the service of the goals of this FOA and in accord with laws and regulations governing CMS data use. Data available may include but are not limited to beneficiary enrollment and demographics, family characteristics, service utilization (hospital, pharmacist, physician, and other fee-for-service providers) as well as prescription drug information. CMS plays an important role in ensuring continuity of health care services for those affected by natural disasters, extreme weather, and emergencies.

NIMH/CMS Contact:

Farris Tuma, Sc.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3648
Email: ftuma@nih.gov

The Mental Health Research Network (MHRN)

The MHRN, established by NIMH, is a consortium of 11 public domain research centers affiliated with non-profit integrated health care delivery systems aiming to improve the management of mental health conditions through a closer connection between research, practice, and policy. The parent HMOs for MHRN members provide care for approximately 11 million individuals and offer substantial resources that are useful for the conduct of mental health research. These resources include data for large, well-defined, and diverse patient populations; long-established administrative and medical records; physician and patient web portals; biospecimen resources; linkages to other data systems such as population-based patient registries; and capacity for rapid identification and accrual of subjects to longitudinal retrospective and prospective cohorts for observational studies or clinical trials. The infrastructure of the MHRN includes several research workgroups and resources that could become valuable partners/assets in post disaster research. These resources include a Virtual Data Warehouse of computerized records data regarding mental health diagnoses and treatments for covered populations, an Emerging Issues and Surveillance Core that utilizes computerized records and state-of-the-art statistical methods to identify and examine emerging patterns in mental health diagnoses and care, an Assessment Workgroup and standardized battery of research measures for assessment via web technology, and a Human Subjects Protection Workgroup to identify and disseminate best practices for research recruitment, informed consent, and privacy protection.

NIMH/MHRN Contact:

David A. Chambers, D.Phil.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3747
Email: dchamber@mail.nih.gov

The aforementioned agencies and programs are not intended to be an exhaustive list of those available or willing to participate. Cooperation among researchers and response organizations provides an opportunity to learn about the utility of existing disaster mental health response programs in comparison to promising newer strategies for identifying and intervening with high-risk survivors, and integrating standard evidence-based services into programs that currently fall short of addressing clinical needs in the first few months after a disaster.

Funding Strategy

The NIMH intends to provide funding for a team of investigators to plan for and conduct disaster mental health research via traditional NIH competitive peer review. This initiative seeks to leverage the existing disaster mental health response infrastructure and workforce to study the integration of evidence-based and promising interventions into current mental health response to disasters. A flexible funding mechanism will allow for pre-planning (in advance of large scale emergencies) between researchers and disaster response providers to develop rigorous intervention and services research studies.

This effort will entail a plan for working across institutions and potentially in diverse disaster zones and developing draft research protocols, negotiating multiple collaborative plans for working within service providing programs, streamline the IRB process across the relevant IRBs so that rapid final approval can be obtained, and establishing partnerships with response organizations.

Under this FOA, research teams will apply for NIH research funding that will be awarded in two phases:

Phase I to prepare and maintain infrastructure: Phase I aspects of an application will focus on preparing a viable and pre-positioned infrastructure. This includes operational plans for working with response organizations (e.g., community mental health providers, state and local disaster mental health coordinators, the mental health response partners and affiliates identified above), intervention model development, interventionist training systems, data collection tools, and other activities necessary for rigorous investigations after major emergency events. In this Phase, the researchers are expected to develop the capacity for services and intervention and/or implementation studies in the aftermath of unforeseen events and refine plans for initiating clinical research projects.

Activities during Phase I should focus on but are not necessarily limited to organizing consortia involving multiple institutions, organizations and individuals; refining various research scenarios and options; preparing multiple research approaches, instruments, sampling schemes, assessment methods, statistical/analytical models and methods, and study designs; preparing data collection and storage procedures, designing training systems, training interventionists, etc. so that when an activating disaster occurs, the research team is prepared to initiate one or more studies in Phase II.

The following lists provide examples of research areas and activities that could fit in the program. These are not meant to be comprehensive nor exclusive of other topics.

Examples of Phase I Activities

Phase II initiating and completing research projects during and following a future disaster:

Access to funds beyond the phase I award will be contingent upon a) a determination that an event of significance has occurred according to pre-determined criteria identified in the application and in concert with NIMH program staff, b) an administrative review of sufficient progress in Phase I and readiness for Phase II work, c) evidence that the infrastructure is operational and ready, d) rapid IRB review of proposed phase II research protocols, and e) availability of federal funds.

Assuming adequate progress is made in phase I (readying the platform), Phase II will undergo an administrative review by NIMH program staff prior to funds being awarded. Should a precipitated event occur, Phase II will involve initiating studies to gather data on effectiveness of outreach, engagement, cost, quality and benefit of intervention models targeted to those at high risk.

Examples of Phase II Studies:

The research teams may ultimately seek out disaster settings that range in severity from lower level and more routine disasters to larger scale events to yield answers about how to promote health across a variety of settings and conditions.

Research to be conducted should balance participant risk and agency burden with potential benefits. Services offered as part of a research project should not interfere with routine services and should have clear relevance to helping disaster affected individuals. Research projects should aim to improve risk prediction and identify how to best match interventions to disaster survivor needs.

Below are examples (not intended to be an exhaustive list) of potential ways in which existing mental health response resources might be engaged for practical studies.

The overall goals of the proposed studies should focus on determining whether appropriately screened persons may be helped in the first few months after disaster exposure to alter mental health trajectories toward recovery and away from worsening/disorder in a cost effective and clinically meaningful manner. Any funded project should help to develop an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and training of paraprofessionals and professionals. Any intervention has to be grounded in the current available workforce such that it will be feasible in future routine practice. Planning should also be incorporated to determine the impact of various interventions on a broader range of important health and functional outcomes (e.g., co-morbidity, occupational, social and economic functioning, family/parenting).

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed

New

The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

NIH intends to fund 1 award, corresponding to a total of $250,000 in direct costs (phase I), for fiscal year 2014. Future year amounts will depend on annual appropriations.

Award Budget

An applicant may request a budget of up to $250,000 direct costs the first year of Phase I. Projects continuing in Phase I beyond year 1 may request a budget of up to $150,000 direct costs to maintain readiness and Phase I activities. However, because this Center is expected to respond to unforeseen events, and must develop a plan to do so (in Phase II), NIMH intends to make available up to an additional $700,000 in direct costs starting in year 2. This additional funding is contingent upon sufficient progress in Phase I, an activating event/disaster, and availability of federal funds. The total requested direct cost budget for any year (Phase I and II combined) for year 2 and later may not exceed $850,000 ($150,000 for Phase I and $700,000 for Phase II).

Award Project Period

The maximum project period is 5 years. The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. It is expected that projects will be awarded in two phases with the second phase contingent upon successful progress in Phase 1 and an activating event/disaster to continue to Phase II.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information


1. Eligible Applicants


Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

For-Profit Organizations

Governments

Other

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account and should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate an existing account with the applicant organization’s eRA Commons account. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility


Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed within the past thirty-seven months (as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement), except for submission:

Section IV. Application and Submission Information


1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants can access the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

Most applicants will use NIH’s ASSIST system to prepare and submit applications through Grants.gov to NIH. Applications prepared and submitted using applicant systems capable of submitting electronic multi-project applications to Grants.gov will also be accepted.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise and where instructions in the Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Letter of Intent

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Farris Tuma, Sc.D.
Division of Adult Translational Research
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd, Room 7111, MSC 9631
Bethesda, MD 20892-9631
Telephone: 301-443-3648
Email: ftuma@nih.gov

Page Limitations

Component Types Available in ASSIST

Research Strategy/Program Plan Page Limits

Overall

6

Admin Core

12

Project

12

Dissemination (use for Dissemination/Implementation Component)

6


Additional page limits described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for the Submission of Multi-Component Applications

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and should be used for preparing a multi-component application.

The application should consist of the following components:

Overall Component

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type Overall .

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions, as noted.

SF424 (R&R) Cover (Overall)

Complete entire form.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Overall)

Note: Human Embryonic Stem Cell lines from other components should be repeated in cell line table in Overall component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Overall)

Follow standard instructions.

Project Summary/Abstract: Provide a succinct but accurate description (abstract) of the overall multi-project application addressing the major, common theme of the program.

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (Overall)

Enter primary site only.

A summary of Project/Performance Sites in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Overall)

Include only the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) and any multi-PDs/PIs (if applicable to this FOA) for the entire application.

The DMHRIC PD/PI should be a qualified investigator and is responsible for the scientific direction and conduct of the overall Center including the administrative core and the research projects.

A summary of Senior/Key Persons followed by their Biographical Sketches in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons will be generated upon submission.

Budget (Overall)

The only budget information included in the Overall component is the Estimated Project Funding section of the SF424 (R&R) Cover.

A budget summary in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from detailed budget data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Overall)

Specific Aims: The overall broad objectives of the DMHRIC including a description of what it intends to accomplish in this funding period should be described in this section.

Research Strategy:

Significance. Focusing on the center as a whole, this section should address (i) the importance of the problems associated with disaster mental health response that the proposed center will address, (ii) how prior activities of DMHRIC investigators and response agencies are relevant to overcoming problems, (iii) how the structure of the DMHRIC and research projects to be conducted will facilitate improvements in scientific knowledge, research capacity, and/or clinical practice, and (iv) how the activities of the DMHRIC will change the field if the proposed aims are achieved.

This section of the application should describe partnerships with one or more governmental or non-governmental organizations that can provide access to disaster workers and community members served by these organizations. NIMH expects that applicants will develop a plan for engaging with at least one, but ideally several response organizations. This section should also describe the commitment among all participating Center members to work together on proposed research studies. This section should describe how the DMHRIC of ability to access and organize data collection within participating center.

Innovation. This section should describe how bringing together the investigators and response agencies/partners will help to achieve the overall aims of the proposed center and go beyond practice as usual in disaster response.

Approach. This section should describe how overall goals of the proposed studies focus on determining whether appropriately screened persons may be helped in the first few months after disaster exposure to alter mental health trajectories toward recovery and away from worsening/disorder in a cost effective and clinically meaningful manner. Describe how projects should help to develop an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and training of paraprofessionals and professionals. Describe how well interventions are grounded in the current available workforce such that it will be feasible in future routine practice. Describe plans for determining the impact of various interventions on a broader range of important health and functional outcomes (e.g., co-morbidity, occupational, social and economic functioning, family/parenting).

This section should also describe the overall structure of the DMHRIC, including a discussion of how the administrative and scientific resources, individual research projects and dissemination components will collectively accomplish the aims of the center. This section should also briefly describe the disaster response organizations, including their size, diversity and their provision of services to disaster survivors and impacted communities, and diversity of the disaster response partner/agency’s geographic service areas.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

Appendix: Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Administrative Core

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type Admin Core

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions, as noted.

SF424 (R&R) Cover (Admin Core)

Complete only the following fields:

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Admin Core)

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Admin Core)

Human Subjects: Answer only the Are Human Subjects Involved? and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations? questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the Are Vertebrate Animals Used? question.

Project Narrative: This section should include a succinct but accurate description of the Administrative Core, including the structure of the core, briefly explaining the roles of units and workgroups. ?

Project /Performance Site Location(s) (Admin Core)

List the performance sites that apply to the Administrative Core.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Admin Core)

In the Project Director/Principal Investigator section of the form, use Project Role of Other with Category of Project Lead and provide a valid eRA Commons ID in the Credential field.

The Project Lead for the Administrative Core must be the same PD/PI for the DMHRIC Overall.

In the additional Senior/Key Profiles section, list Senior/Key persons that are working in the component.

Include a single Biographical Sketch for each Senior/Key person listed in the application regardless of the number of components in which they participate.

When a Senior/Key person is listed in multiple components, the Biographical Sketch can be included in any one component.

The DMHRIC must include a combination of scientific investigator(s) as well as disaster response partners/organizations in sufficient number to implement proposed research projects and contingency plans flexible to a variety of disaster contexts

To provide the most effective combination of scientific knowledge and skills, applicants may request funds to support scientists to augment or strengthen the skills, expertise, and capabilities of existing program staff. It is not expected that existing programs necessarily include the range of expertise needed for a Disaster Mental Health Research Intervention Center (e.g., epidemiology, clinical trials, psychopathology, behavioral and social sciences, neuroscience, mental health services research, economics, disaster and trauma research, information technology, emergency management, public health). Recruitment of such individuals may take place after an award has been made; however, the expertise required, the role in Center activities, and the time to be devoted to the Center should be provided in the application. It should be emphasized, however, that after an award is made such individuals generally should not be expected to serve as a substitute for a proposed Project PD(s)/PI(s).

If more than 100 Senior/Key persons are included in a component, the Additional Senior Key Person attachments should be used.

Budget (Admin Core)

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

Applications should include a budget for the overall governance structure of the Administrative Core, along with a budget justification.

The Administrative Core budget cannot exceed $250,000 in direct costs in year 1. Phase I funding beyond year 1 is limited to $150,000 to maintain readiness and Phase I activities. However, because this Center is expected to respond to unforeseen events, and must develop a plan to do so (in Phase II), up to an additional $700,000 in direct costs may be requested in years 2-5 (Research Projects). This additional funding is contingent upon sufficient progress in Phase I and an activating event/disaster, and availability of federal funds. NIMH recognizes that circumstances may change with the passage of time and the specifics of any particular disaster and thus may allow for additional administrative and/or competitive funding, that exceed the limits noted above, to become part of the Center.

The DMHRIC may request support for resources related to establishing, implementing and sustaining a functional framework for conducting high-impact disaster intervention and services research projects and research dissemination/implementation activities. Such activities may include general administration, as well as functions to support coordination with service providing organizations/partners, subject recruitment, methodological developments, data management procedures, or statistical analysis across the Center’s activities. This support may include salary costs, research resources shared across projects, and equipment needed to conduct the research

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Admin Core)

Specific Aims: Clearly state how the Administrative Core will contribute to the overall goals of the DMHRIC and outline interactions of the core with the research projects.

Research Strategy: The Administrative Core should provide the organizational framework for the management, direction, and coordination of the Center; it must be managed by the Center PD/PI. This resource should enable all proposed components and related activities to function in an optimal and synergistic manner. An important function of this resource is also the administration of the budget. This resource should be described in sufficient detail to ensure that all proposed components and related activities will function optimally. In addition, day-to-day operations involving procurement, finances, personnel, planning, and budgeting should be detailed in the description of this resource.

Scientific resources are shared research resources that provide Center investigators with techniques, instrumentation, services, or resources that will enhance research to accomplish the common goals of the Center. Such resources can include a facility, service, or other resource that provides support for scientific research projects of the Center. Shared scientific resources should be clearly described in terms of the services and resources to be provided to investigators. The description should include a discussion of the resources contributing to the research objectives of the Center. Relevant aspects of cost effectiveness, timesaving, and increased efficiency attributable to the existence of the resource should also be addressed. A scientific resource should support the Center’s scientific research components and may also support independently funded research project grants related to the Center's theme. Each separately funded research project associated with the Center and utilizing resources should have a brief description that includes its research objectives and how the Center's core facility will impact those objectives. While research per se is not an essential part of a scientific resource, quality assurance activities that evaluate its operations and are directed at problem identification and improvement of functioning are appropriate.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

Appendix: Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Planned Enrollment Report (Admin Core)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Planned Enrollment Reports as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The default approach is for each Planned Enrollment Report to be associated with the individual project that will be conducting the study. However, should there be a scientific need to have Planned Enrollment Reports inserted together in one project or core, please provide justification to OER in a Comment.

PHS 398 Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report (Admin Core)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Research Project

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type 'Project.'

Each Center application should propose a minimum of 2 Research Projects. The aim of these research projects should be to leverage/build on the available response workforce to develop an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and interventions for paraprofessionals and professionals.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions, as noted.

SF424 (R&R) Cover Page (Research Project)

Complete only the following fields:

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Research Project)

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Research Project)

Human Subjects: Answer only the Are Human Subjects Involved? and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations? questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the Are Vertebrate Animals Used? question.

Project Narrative: Provide a succinct but accurate description (abstract) of the research project(s) addressing the major, common theme of the program. .

Project /Performance Site Location(s) (Research Project)

List the performance sites where the research will expect to be conducted pending disaster context.

The project must include a combination of scientific investigator(s) as well as disaster response partners/organizations in sufficient number to implement proposed research projects and contingency plans flexible to a variety of disaster contexts.

Note: The Project Performance Site form allows up to 300 sites, prior to using additional attachment for additional entries.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Research Project)

Budget (Research Project)

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

There should be no funds requested for project period 1 in the Research Project component as this activity is not part of Phase I of the DMHRIC.

No detailed budget should be provided in the Research Projects component for the initial budget period by following the below instructions:

Complete the remaining budget periods following standard instructions.

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Research Project)

Specific Aims: For each research project, list in priority order, the objectives and goals of the proposed Research Project. State the individual research project's relationship to the overall DMHRIC goals.

Research Strategy: This section should describe how the research project will design and deliver highly effective public health and clinically oriented mental health interventions for disaster response. NIMH is aware that the proposed studies are being planned and proposed in advance of a specific emergency event and that this poses scientific and practical challenges.

However, NIMH believes that with support, investigators can develop hypothetical but high probability clinical/interventional and/or services research protocols in advance of various disasters or other emergency events. While it may be difficult, it is not impossible to identify what types of scientific and public health questions can be pursued in the wake of several different types of emergency events. Moreover, NIMH believes that it is possible to evaluate the achievability of the proposed/theoretical research projects to determine how likely it is that the proposed projects can be accomplished given that they are being planned in advance of an unforeseen event(s).

Applicants must provide milestones and timelines for the research project. Applicants should describe how the research project will leverage/build on the existing disaster mental health workforce and response programs. The description of the clinical/interventional and/or services research projects should include the planned studies as well as procedures for modifying projects based on emerging circumstances of any particular event. It is recognized that the relative priority or need for specific projects may change over the course of time and with the emergency events that occur. The application must provide sufficient information to enable adequate scientific evaluation by a peer review committee, a description of the management of the project component, including the process by which each IRB review will be streamlined, e.g., each research study may undergo initial IRB consideration and final approval subsequent to any necessary modifications.

The design and procedures should describe the strategies proposed to accomplish the specific aims and innovative aspects of the approach should be highlighted. A description of the resources and working arrangements required to implement and conduct the proposed research study should be fully elaborated with particular attention to a description of necessary partnerships/collaborations, resources, subjects, clinical populations, tissue resources, biological models, existing data sets, etc., which will be involved in proposed studies. If DMHRIC facilities are utilized, information on their use should be provided.

A DMHRIC PD/PI may also serve as a research project lead.

The emphasis of these research projects should be to acquire the knowledge needed to design and deliver highly effective public health and clinically oriented mental health interventions to disaster survivors.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

Appendix: Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Planned Enrollment Report (Research Project)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Planned Enrollment Reports as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

PHS 398 Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report (Research Project)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Dissemination/Implementation Component

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type Dissemination .

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions, as noted.

SF424 (R&R) Cover (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Complete only the following fields:

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Human Subjects: Answer only the Are Human Subjects Involved? and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations? questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the Are Vertebrate Animals Used? question.

Project Narrative: Provide a succinct but accurate description (abstract) of the overall Dissemination/Implementation activities addressing the major, common theme of the Center.

Project /Performance Site Location(s) (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

List the performance sites where the research is expected to be conducted pending disaster context.

The project must include a combination of scientific investigator(s) as well as disaster response partners/organizations in sufficient number to implement proposed research projects and contingency plans flexible to a variety of disaster contexts.

Note: The Project Performance Site form allows up to 300 sites, prior to using additional attachment for additional entries.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Budget (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

There should be no funds requested for project period 1 in the Dissemination/Implementation component as this activity is not part of Phase I of the DMHRIC.

No detailed budget should be provided in the Dissemination/Implementation component for the initial budget period by following the below instructions:

Each activity under this section must have a clear description of major goals objectives. These will be conducted in phase 2 only. Budgets should not exceed $140,000 in direct costs per year or 20% of the combined direct cost research budgets for any one year, whichever is greater. Note that funds for this component are counted against the overall DMHRIC budget cap.

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

Specific Aims: Clearly state how the activities will contribute to the overall goals of the DMHRIC to create an evidence based response to disaster mental health. How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field? Is it likely that the Center will lead to fundamental advances, to new discoveries, and/or to improved public health and clinical response to disaster?

Research Strategy: This section should discuss activities proposed to translate research findings into health care practice, public information dissemination, or education curricula or programs for students, health professionals and community agencies. For each activity in the research Dissemination/Implementation Component, a clear description of its major goals, objectives, and integration with the research components in relation to the overall center program should be provided.

This section should describe a staffing plan and rationale for organization of proposed activities, methods, techniques, and technologies. Issues of cultural sensitivity with regard to intended audience should be addressed. When appropriate, activities should be designed to effectively reach underserved populations and/or subgroups based on age or gender.

A description of plans to evaluate the success and/or effectiveness of educational translational activities with emphasis on their impact on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors should be described.

This section should describe how dissemination/implementation activities proposed will inform decisions regarding how to reach disaster survivors, determine who is at highest risk for adverse outcomes, what continuum of care and services should be made available, who should receive what type(s) of assistance and care, when, for how long and the optimal way of organizing such assistance should be informed by data.

The following are examples of projects that may be undertaken but are not intended to be limiting.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modification:

Appendix: Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Planned Enrollment Report (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Planned Enrollment Reports as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

PHS 398 Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report (Dissemination/Implementation Component)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies) using ASSIST or other electronic submission systems. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

For information on how your application will be automatically assembled for review and funding consideration after submission go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/files/Electronic_Multi-project_Application_Image_Assembly.pdf.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:
All PD(s)/PI(s) and component Project Leads must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by NIMH, NIH. Applications that are incomplete and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

In order to expedite review, applicants are requested to notify the NIMH Referral Office by email at nimhreferral@mail.nih.gov when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-13-030.

Section V. Application Review Information


1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Overall Impact - Overall

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the DMHRIC to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the Center proposed).

Scored Review Criteria - Overall

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a Center that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does the Center address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the Center are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Is it likely that the Center will lead to fundamental advances, to new discoveries, and/or to improved public health and clinical response to disaster? Does the application provide a well-developed and well-defined central theme? Is there potential for the Center to serve as a regional or national resource in its area of expertise? Will the Center be able to develop scientific collaborations with outside organizations and investigators?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the Center? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Is the Center PD/PI capable of providing the scientific leadership and administrative oversight required to lead a Center? Will the investigators be able to form an integrated team appropriate to the Center’s theme and the long-term goals of the project?

Innovation

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

Does the application demonstrate how a Center approach will add significantly to what could be accomplished through other modes of research support? Is there evidence of integration and interdependence of component projects? Will the Center make a unique contribution or fill a significant gap in the disaster mental health research field?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the Center? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?

If the Center involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Does the applicant present a compelling case that the Center can achieve its goals given that much of the proposed work is subject to modification necessitated by unpredictable emerging events? Are plans adequately explained as to how decisions about changes in proposed work will be made? Are multiple sampling, assessment, intervention, data collection etc. planned for? Are plans and procedures described regarding how the PD/PI will decide when to activate the Center and initiate research projects? Are plans presented for maintaining the viability of the research projects and for making adjustments in light of emerging circumstances? Does the applicant demonstrate sufficient planning and forethought toward achievability of the proposed/hypothetical research projects? Is there evidence that 1) an appropriate IRB has been identified to review and approve the research projects? and 2) that proposed research projects will receive necessary IRB attention prior to and shortly after an emergency event?

Is the coordination among the administrative and the research components adequately explained? Does the Center demonstrate a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach appropriate for its theme and research goals? Are monitoring, oversight procedures explained? Are there clear operational plans for how the researchers will interface with the response programs? Are multiple approaches to engaging the existing disaster response workforce planned for?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? Are the resources and environment for the center adequate?

Is the environment sufficient for the needs of the DMHRIC? Does the proposed research take advantage of unique features of the environment such as: access to at risk populations, federal and/or non-federal disaster response resources, community resources or mutually-beneficial collaborative arrangements?

Scored Review Criteria - Admin Core

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does the Admin Core address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Is there evidence of partnerships with one or more governmental or non-governmental organizations that can provide access to disaster workers and community members served by these organizations? Does the application include a combination of scientific investigator(s) as well as disaster response partners/organizations in sufficient number to implement proposed research projects and contingency plans flexible to a variety of disaster contexts? Does the application demonstrate that the Center PD/PI, research project leads, and other key personnel are prepared to increase time commitments in response to a disaster in Phase II?

Innovation

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?

Does the application provide an adequate and compelling description of how the Administrative Core and any workgroups would function to support and maintain the structure and research projects of DHMRIC? Does the application allocate resources (e.g., salary costs, research resources shared across projects, equipment needed) to support proposed coordination with service providing organizations/partners, subject recruitment, methodological developments, data management procedures, statistical analysis across the Center’s activities?

If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?

Scored Review Criteria - Research Projects

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field? Do the research projects have the potential to directly inform emergency/disaster mental health response?

Investigators

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Are the qualifications of the individual project leaders appropriate for the proposed research? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the component PD/PI and other researchers involved?

Innovation

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed? If successful, does the project have the potential to contribute to an evidence base of practical, scalable, sustainable screening, triage, and interventions for paraprofessionals and professionals?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?

If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project?

Are there clear criteria for selecting events of significance that would warrant activating the proposed studies? Do the proposed activities provide plans for overcoming some of the limitations of research organized in the wake of emergencies by including support to develop hypothetical but high probability and high-impact clinical/interventional and/or services research protocols in advance of various disasters or other emergency events? Does the investigator acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? Are multiple sampling, assessment, intervention, data collection etc. planned for? Are plans presented for maintaining the viability of the research projects and for making adjustments in light of emerging circumstances? Is there evidence that 1) an appropriate IRB has been identified to review and approve the research projects? and 2) that proposed research projects will receive necessary IRB attention prior to and shortly after an emergency event?

Is there evidence that the Center PD/PI, research project leads, and other key personnel are prepared to increase time commitments in response to a disaster in Phase II? Is there evidence of prior experience with emergency/disaster research? Are there clear operational plans for how the researchers will interface with the response programs? Are multiple approaches to engaging the existing disaster response workforce planned for? Is there involvement of researchers who possess advanced methodological and statistical expertise that can be drawn on when modifying and finalizing study designs necessitated by emerging events?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? Does the proposed research take advantage of unique features of the environment such as: access to at risk populations, federal and/or non-federal disaster response resources, community resources or mutually-beneficial collaborative arrangements?

Review Criteria Dissemination/Implementation Component

Reviewers will consider the set of dissemination activities collectively when assessing their merit and give a single score to reflect this assessment. Reviewers should consider the following in determining the overall scientific and technical merit of the dissemination activities:

Additional Review Criteria - Overall, Administrative Core, Research Projects, and Dissemination/Implementation Component

As applicable for the DMHRIC proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

When the proposed Center involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

Not Applicable

Renewals

Not Applicable

Revisions

Not Applicable

Additional Review Considerations - Overall, Administrative Core, Research Projects, and Dissemination/Implementation Component l

As applicable for the Center proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan; 2) Sharing Model Organisms; and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s), in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this FOA.

Applications will be assigned to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Mental Health Council. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information


1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee’s business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, SAM Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590 or RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A final progress report, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award, as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

eRA Commons Help Desk (Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, submitting and tracking an application, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, post submission issues)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

Web ticketing system: https://public.era.nih.gov/commonshelp
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726

Web ticketing system: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/ContactUs.aspx
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Farris Tuma, Sc.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3648
Email: ftuma@nih.gov

Susan Borja, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3648
Email: susan.borja@nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

David Armstrong, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3534
Email: armstrda@mail.nih.gov

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Rita Sisco
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-2805
Email: siscor@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.


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