NIH Releases Social Work Program Announcements

During 2005-2006, social work research achieved increased visibility at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the work of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR) as well as through continued initiatives of the NIH Social Work Workgroup under the leadership of the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR).  On December 1, 2005 NIH issued three  precedent setting Program Announcements (PA) entitled Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health to encourage RO1, http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-081.html, R03, http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-082.html, and  

R21, http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-083.html) grant applications from social work researchers.  These landmark announcements are a result of the recommendations of the Congressionally requested NIH Plan for Social Work Research (http://obssr.od.nih.gov/Publications/SWR_Report.pdf) in 2003.  The NIH institutes and offices that signed on to the 2003 Plan and the PA include the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute on Nursing Research (NINR), the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), OBSSR, the Office of Disease Prevention and Office of Women's Health also support grants submitted under these Program Announcements. This is an important product of the NIH Plan that was requested by Congress due to advocacy by the Action Network for Social Work Education and Research (ANSWER) coalition.

To take best advantage of these opportunities social work researchers must submit high quality proposals that can be fundable in this time of constrained resources. IASWR is in communication with OBSSR to discuss several possible technical assistance opportunities to help foster excellent grant submissions.  Information on applying for NIH funding can be found on the IASWR website at www.iaswresearch.org and the NIH website at www.nih.gov. 

OBSSR Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

Contributions from behavioral and social science research were feted at NIH and on Capitol Hill from June 21-23, 2006 during the celebration of OBSSR’s Tenth Anniversary.  The Anniversary booklet “Healthier Lives through Behavioral and Social Science Research” includes highlights of social work research and OBSSR’s efforts to build social work research capacities and the conference included social work researchers addressing issues related to child maltreatment as well as community-based breast cancer prevalence disparities. BPD and IASWR joined other social work organizations and other behavioral and social science organizations and foundations in supporting the OBSSR Tenth Anniversary activities.  At the celebration, OBSSR also unveiled its draft “Strategic Prospectus”  (http://www.conceptsystems.com/OBSSR/OBSSR-Prospectus-final.pdf) that will help to focus OBSSR activities over the next decade.  IASWR and several social work researchers were involved in developing the prospectus.

IASWR Catalogues NIH Social Work Research

Representing more than a decade of social work research, including grants funded to support career development of undergraduate social work students through the NIMH Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training (COR) Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grants (T34) (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/par-01-008.html), the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR) has developed a directory of research funded across NIH institutes.  There is no one source to identify social workers who receive NIH grants.  View the directory by visiting IASWR's website at www.iaswresearch.org and click on NIH Social Work Directory on the right side bar.  If you know of social workers that have received NIH funding that are not included in this directory please contact IASWR at iaswr@naswdc.org.

Keep Up To Date on Funding Opportunities

To keep up to date on research funding opportunities, calls for papers, upcoming conferences, and reports and resources relevant to social work research, subscribe to the IASWR listserv by visiting the IASWR website at www.iaswresearch.org, click on listserv and follow the directions.  It is a useful resource for faculty and students.

At the Fall 2006 BPD Conference in Los Angeles IASWR will be presenting a session on Grant Writing Tips and also providing more information on the NIMH Minority Undergraduate Research Training opportunities.