Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Calls Upon the Public To Invest in Mental Health Research

NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This holiday season, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is urging the public to invest in mental health research and place a priority on funding better prevention, diagnosis, early intervention and treatment for mental illness, which affects the lives of one in five people. The Foundation launched an advertising and social media campaign asking for the public's help. 

"It is impossible to overstate the economic, social and personal toll that mental illness has on society," says Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., president and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the largest non-government funder of mental health research grants. "Overcoming mental illness is one of the greatest challenges of modern medical sciences. In the current climate, we can no longer rely solely on government funding.

"The field has seen tremendous scientific advances, but we need to expand basic, translational and clinical research to better understand the workings of the brain and why things go wrong. We also need to raise awareness, eliminate stigma, and remove barriers to treatment.

"At the same time, we are at risk of losing an entire generation of young scientists. Scarce resources mean more competition for federal grants, lab closures and fewer incentives to pursue scientific careers. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is combating brain drain through a funding model that supports scientists at every stage of their careers and gives young investigators a leg up."

The ad campaign explains how the Foundation puts its donor's money to work.

• 60,000 donors have joined together to fund high-risk, high reward research to generate significant scientific discoveries that will change lives and end the suffering that psychiatric illness brings so many;
• Its 173-member all volunteer Scientific Council selects the best research strategies and scientists to pioneer in order to end suffering from brain and behavior disorders;
• Its 4,000 research grantees dedicate their outstanding talents and training to develop improved treatments and methods of prevention for mental illness;
• The foundation is the top non-government mental health research funder cited in published articles.

"As we count our blessings this holiday season, we hope you will join us in finding cures for mental illness by making a gift today," says Dr. Borenstein.            

To find out more, visit www.bbrfoundation.org.

About the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
For the past 30 years, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has been committed to alleviating the suffering of mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. The Foundation funds the most innovative ideas in neuroscience and psychiatry to better understand the causes and develop new ways to treat brain and behavior disorders. These disorders include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $360 million to fund more than 5,000 grants to more than 4,000 leading scientists around the world. This has led to over $3.5 billion in additional funding for these scientists. The Foundation is also dedicated to educating the public about mental health and the importance of research, including the impact that new discoveries have on improving the lives of those with mental illness, which will ultimately enable people to live full, happy and productive lives. For more information, visit www.bbrfoundation.org.

SOURCE Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

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http://www.bbrfoundation.org