The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Advisory Council (AC) met on March 6. Andrea Beckel-Mitchener, PhD, Acting Director of NIMH, welcomed and thanked members and shared agency updates, followed by an extended question and answer period. The open session of the meeting ended with four concept clearances chaired by NIMH Acting Deputy Director Susan Koester, PhD.
According to the charter, the NIMH Council is designed to have 18 members. While seven members attended the most recent meeting, three were meant to rotate off in 2025 and have agreed to extend their service as NIMH awaits new AC members. According to NIMH colleagues, NIMH is in better shape than other institute ACs, so it may not be at the top of the list to add members. FABBS disciplines are well represented on the Council by Rinad Beidas, PhD, Northwestern University; Angus MacDonald, PhD, University of Minnesota, and Velma McBride, PhD, Vanderbilt.
Beckel-Mitchener presented a standard list of topics starting with congressional and appropriations updates, news about Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—specifically NIMH—as well as science highlights. While the structure resembled business as usual, it is clear that NIMH is still in a period of transition. AC members asked a wide range of questions, both expressing appreciation for NIMH colleagues while diplomatically sharing concerns about the peer review process, early career researchers, and grant funding getting out. Many of the members drew from disruptions they are experiencing in the field—such as complications with the scientific review process and delayed notice of training grants— which are stalling recruitment and putting summer institutes at risk.
NIMH colleagues acknowledged the lack of detailed responses and assured they are doing all they can to support the mission of NIMH, including monitoring the ability to get awards out; adopting new policies, practices, and processes; and navigating new communications structures. FABBS notes that a yellow banner on the NIMH home page indicated that “Due to current HHS and NIH restructuring, some content on nimh.nih.gov is not being updated regularly.” In addition, the NIMH Twitter feed—with one million followers—and their LinkedIn page, were both recently rebranded as NIH Innovates. FABBS is a founding co-chair of the Friends of NIMH, a coalition of organizations that come together to support NIMH. Recognizing the loss of some important channels of communication, the Friends group is working to identify how we might proactively keep our members informed of changes and opportunities. Please follow the new Friends of NIMH LinkedIn page dedicated to supporting the work of NIMH and its staff.
