On May 22, the new Directors  of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on  Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)  received an official welcome on Capitol Hill from Members of Congress and  various scientific and advocacy organizations. The  reception was organized by APA Science Policy staff and was co-sponsored by  seventeen organizations (including the Federation) that collectively represent  hundreds of thousands of scientists, healthcare providers and patient advocates.  

APA's CEO Norman  Anderson opened the reception with welcoming remarks, then introduced Dr.  Raynard Kington, the new Deputy Director of NIH and former Director of NIH's  Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research.   Dr. Kington then took a few moments to provide some biographical context for  each of the new Directors, and introduced each of them before they spoke to the  group.

Drs.  Thomas Insel (NIMH), Tink-Kai Li (NIAAA) and Nora Volkow (NIDA) each addressed  the 150 guests, expressing their thanks for the reception and describing their  visions for each of the three institutes.  Each  Director clearly understands the challenges facing the research community. 

Senator  Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that  has jurisdiction over NIH funding, and Congressman Patrick Kennedy, (D-RI), who  serves on the corresponding appropriations subcommittee in the House of  Representatives, each attended the reception and spoke to the attendees. Senator  Harkin focused on translational research ( a major theme at NIH) and reiterated  the need to take research from the bench to the bedside. Congressman Kennedy,  son of Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), gave an account of how substance abuse and  mental health issues have  affected so many members of his extended  family. Like Senator Harkin, Kennedy noted the critical need for research to  inform practice in the provision of services to the patient community.