PURPOSE: To provide logistical and administrative support for the NIMH-sponsored meetings ?National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention?s Research Prioritization Task Force Expert Panel? in September 2012 and February 2013 (exact dates to be determined), Washington, DC metro area. BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION: The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention is a public-private partnership tasked with advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The NIMH supports the efforts of the Research Prioritization Task Force (RTF) in its goal of developing a research plan capable of generating the kind of knowledge needed to protect vulnerable individuals from suicide behavior. To that end, the RTF is in the process of developing a research agenda with the potential to reduce morbidity (attempts) and mortality (deaths), each by at least 20% in 5 years and 40% or greater in 10 years if fully implemented. The RTF research prioritization process includes multiple steps: collecting input from relevant stakeholders;critically reviewing the extant suicide prevention scientific literature;analyzing the current research portfolios of public and private research funding agencies;calculating burden among accessible subpopulations;and reviewing input from a National Institutes of Health Request for Information on methodological roadblocks and new paradigms needed to move science forward. This meeting aims to bring together a panel of experts who will integrate these inputs and prioritize research pathways and objectives that can help reduce the U.S. suicide burden. These experts will be drawn from leaders and subject matter experts in a variety of fields critical to developing a comprehensive and realistic agenda;Suicidology, clinical psychology, and subject matter experts in areas including Native America/Alaska Native specialists, rural health, and survivors of suicide attempt and loss. Staff from the NIMH as well as other NIH institutes and government agencies will also contribute. The meetings will be used to bookend a series of webinars and conference calls with subject matter experts as we develop our draft research prioritization agenda. The draft agenda is anticipated in early 2013. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: September 25, 2012 through December 31, 2012
