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RFMH
Central Office Abel
Lajtha, Ph.D.
Research is conducted at the following Institutes:
New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities |
The
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
is a not-for-profit membership corporation organized in 1952, for the
purpose of assisting and enhancing the research and training objectives
of the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene and its component agencies;
the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental
Disabilities and the Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services.
It is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of twenty-six prominent
scientists, administrators and government officials, which is responsible
for setting the operational policies of the corporation. Through an agreement with New York State, the Foundation has been designated as the organization responsible for administering and directing the conduct of all sponsored research programs carried out by scientists at Department research institutes or facilities. In this role the Foundation provides an organizational bridge between the scientist and those wishing to support his or her work, be it the federal government, state government, industry, individuals, foundations or (as is frequently the case) a combination of multiple sponsors. We are unique in our ability to bring together the resources of organizations having different legal or management systems. We do this in a well coordinated, fiscally sound fashion. The Foundation manages grant and contract funds exceeding sixty million dollars annually. Its member scientists have been involved in hundreds of pioneering studies in the basic and clinical sciences, many of which have led to major breakthroughs in the care and treatment of mentally disabled persons. For their efforts, our member scientists have received numerous awards and honors, placing them and their work at the forefront of science throughout the world. Along with our basic and clinical research, we are frequently asked to undertake special projects on behalf of the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene, typically involving the operational needs of the Department. Included in these projects have been evaluation studies of service programs, needs assessment, epidemiological studies, and development of clinical and administrative computerized information systems. While these efforts are normally undertaken at one of the four research institutes operated by the Department, they may also take place at one of the thirty Adult and Children's Psychiatric Centers operated by the Office of Mental Health, the thirteen Developmental Disabilities Services Offices operated by the Office of Mental Retardation Developmental Disabilities, or the thirteen Alcoholism Treatment Centers operated by the Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services. Our designation by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) Corporation means that all donations are fully tax deductible. In addition, we can accommodate the wishes of individuals in their estate planning, should they be interested in providing general or designated support of our programs. As our focus is research and treatment of the mentally disabled, a major concern is the transfer of new knowledge, technology and treatment methods to the service system. We do this by publishing the results of our research and by sponsoring symposia and training programs. Where patentable technology is involved, depending on the sponsorship, we have the capacity to enter into various types of licensing or other agreements with industry to insure expeditious development and commercialization. |
