[#DIV28SUPER] Fwd: [DIVTRIO] Behavioral and social science societies weigh in on next NIH Director

Dear Div 28 Members,

Hope everyone is enjoying a nice weekend.  Just wanted to pass along the below message to highlight APA advocacy related to the search for a new NIH director.

Regards,

-Ryan

________________

Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D.

President

APA Division 28

http://www.apadivisions.org/division-28/index.aspx

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Prinstein, Mitch" <MPrinstein@APA.ORG>

Subject: [DIVTRIO] Behavioral and social science societies weigh in on next NIH Director

Date: March 5, 2022 at 10:26:35 AM EST

To: DIVTRIO@LISTS.APA.ORG

Reply-To: APA Division Presidential trios communicating about divisional topics <DIVTRIO@LISTS.APA.ORG>

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APA Fighting for Social and Behavioral Science!

 

APA with 26 scientific societies signed a letter to Francis Collins, MD, PhD, the acting science adviser to President Joseph Biden, urging that the next NIH Director demonstrate a knowledge of and commitment to behavioral and social sciences research at NIH. 

Dr. Collins, who resigned as NIH Director in December, 2021, returned to serve in an acting capacity as the President's Science Adviser after the resignation of Eric Lander, PhD.  Dr. Collins has been explicitly tasked with helping to identify the next nominee for the Director of the NIH. Many psychological scientists listened with great interest when, in his final days as the Director of NIH, Dr. Collins repeatedly stated his regret that he had underestimated the importance of the behavioral sciences.

The letter, coordinated by the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, states, "…[O]ur country faces ongoing urgent health concerns on troubling trajectories. A mental health crisis, addiction, obesity, and health disparities are all growing problems with significant behavioral and social contributors. These issues coincide with the major societal challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and racial injustice. To most effectively prevent illness and address the negative health consequences of these cascading circumstances, the NIH must recognize the interactions between biological factors and behavioral and social ones to build a better understanding of the interconnectivity of complex systems that contributes to health outcomes. A successful Director would be able to articulate a vision for a comprehensive and balanced approach to improving Americans' health that considers biological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors in tandem." For more information contact Pat Kobor atpkobor@apa.org. 

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