National Institute of Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health, also known as NIMH is one of 27 institutes under the National Institute of Health (NIH) which it's self is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. NIMH, which is the largest research institute in the world, is headquartered out of Bethesda, Maryland; USA with a specialization in mental illness.

Mission and Priorities
NIMH's mission is to further the study of the brain, emotion, and experience in order to make breakthroughs for the benefit of all people with mental illnesses.

NIMH has identified four overarching strategic objectives for itself:
 * Promote discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences to fuel research on the causes of mental disorders
 * Chart mental illness trajectories to determine when, where and how to intervene
 * Develop new and better interventions that incorporate the diverse needs and circumstances of people with mental illnesses
 * Strengthen the public health impact of NIMH-supported research

History
Mental health was a state issue prior to the end of World War Two when lobbyist pushed for a federal initiative. After various attempts failed to create a National Neuropsychiatric Institute, one Robert H. Felix eventually succeeded in creating the National Advisory Mental Health Council, and the National Institute of Mental Health which was established on April 15, 1949 with Robert H. Felix as it's director.