Applied Research

Congress should fund research through the National Institutes of Health on the efficacy of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) services provided via telehealth, with outcomes studied by service type (e.g., crisis response) and demographic groups, including underserved communities.

When supported by strong clinical data, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should provide a formal indication for a specific psychiatric symptom when that symptom has been mapped onto specific neuronal circuits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should work to improve adolescents’ access to the best mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) medications by bridging available adult data with bioequivalence studies and an open-label safety study.

Federal appropriators should provide specific funding to support research by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to continue the development of evidence-based mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) interventions for underserved communities, such as LGBTQ+ youth, Native communities, Black Americans, and Hispanic/Latino communities.[1]

The National Institute of Mental Health should fund research on the causes and potential treatments for postpartum psychosis, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) should convene relevant clinical specialty associations to create screening and treatment guidelines.

Congress should increase funding for research on the impact of social media and technology on youth mental health and for consumer education about potential mental health risks online.[1]