The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health is pleased to be a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Outreach Partner. We disseminate science-based behavioral health information and are eager to grow partnerships that advance the health of individuals and families throughout our Commonwealth.

*Please feel welcome to forward this newsletter to your networks. 

For a full copy of the update
View all NIMH Updates
Older Adult Mental Health

  • Researchers have linked elevated levels of an immune system hormone, interleukin-6 (IL-6), to the adult cognitive decline that often occurs in people who experienced abuse as children. The researchers, funded by NIH, also found those child abuse victims who have a history of depression are more likely to experience cognitive decline as adults.
  • This report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) describes the findings of an evaluation of the effect of interventions targeting social isolation/loneliness in community-dwelling older adults (60 years and older) on outcomes of social isolation/loneliness, health, and health care utilization.
Psychosis-related Research
  • Researchers funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the NIH, have shown that a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — called neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) — is a potential biomarker for psychosis.
Opioid Use Conditions
  • NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon highlights NIMH’s involvement in the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM) Initiative, the NIH’s coordinated response to the opioid crisis, supporting research to deliver scientific solutions for patients, clinicians, and policy-makers as the field works together to end this crisis. 
  • This new sharable video, developed by MedlinePlus in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), explains how naloxone, a treatment for an opioid overdose, works, when to use it, and how it is administered.
  • Grants to Support New Investigators in Addressing Cross-Cutting Violence Prevention and Opioid Overdose Prevention
Spanish Language Materials
  • A Spanish version of NIMH’s Teen Depression brochure is now available online. The brochure helps teens understand depression and how it differs from regular sadness. It describes symptoms, causes, treatments, and how to get help.
  • NIH has launched Spanish versions of its “Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits,” which provide simple ways for individuals to prevent disease and improve their relationships, emotional well-being, physical health, and surroundings. The Spanish versions, “Su Versión Más Saludable: Herramientas de Bienestar,” are available through NIH’s Spanish Health Information Portal.
Children's Behavioral Health
  • The February issue of the Administration for Children and Families Children’s Bureau Express newsletter highlights the importance of well-being and the interventions that promote the well-being of children and youth as well as their families. 
  • This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report features study findings on the potential of public assistance programs to connect families living in poverty to care for their young children with mental, behavioral, or developmental disorders.
  • Secondary Data Analysis to Examine Long-Term and/or Potential Cross-Over Effects of Prevention Interventions: What are the Benefits for Preventing Mental Health Disorders?
  • Grants for Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances
Suicide Prevention
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Suicide Prevention Resource Center has released a new video series on strategic communication planning for suicide prevention.
Upcoming Events
  • The NIMH Center for Global Mental Health Research and Grand Challenges Canada will co-convene the 10th anniversary global mental health conference in 2019, bringing together researchers, innovators, and other stakeholders around the theme of Global Mental Health Research Without Borders.  Grand Challenges In Global Mental Health. April 8-9, 2019, Bethesda, MD.
  • The NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Unit, the Delaware Project, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies will conduct the third webinar in a series examining the science-to-service pipeline in psychology and psychiatry.
We look forward to continuing to work together for change!