# Partnership in Implementation Science for Geriatric Mental Health (PRISM)

> **NIH NIH U19** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $677,885

## Abstract

Abstract
The overall goal of the proposed Partnership in Implementation Science for Geriatric Mental Health (PRISM)
project is to establish a hub to integrate implementation research for scaling up sustainable, evidence-based
mental health interventions with research capacity-building activities for East Asia. The proposed mental health
implementation research hub, based in Thailand and including China, will focus on reducing the gap in
treatment and support for community-residing older adults in general, and elders with Alzheimer's disease and
related dementias (to be referred to as dementia in this proposal) in particular. Specific aims are to: 1)
empirically test a culturally adapted Getting-To-Outcomes (GTO) implementation support model aimed at
enhancing the delivery of an evidence-based physical exercise intervention for narrowing the treatment gap for
older persons with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Thailand (GTO-ThAI); 2)
build individual and institutional capacity for the implementation of mental health intervention research in
Thailand and China; 3) improve Thai and Chinese policy makers' capacity for using research for evidence
informed decision making (EIDM); 4) develop a knowledge base for shared learning among stakeholders within
each country and with other countries through NIMH and other regional NIMH hubs; and, 5) collaborate with
NIMH program staff, through scientific and programmatic involvement, through a cooperative agreement for
the implementation of all project activities. The focus on older adults was made as the Thai Ministry of Public
Health has identified the reduction in the mental health treatment gap for older adults, specifically, for those
with dementia and their family caregivers, as a key priority for the nation, due to the rising number of cases of
dementia, concomitant with Thailand's rapidly growing aging population. The hub will bring together Thai and
Chinese interdisciplinary researchers, policy-makers and NGO practitioners with US-based researchers who
have a history of successful research collaborations with each other as well as with researchers and policy
makers in the participating countries. Specific project aims will be implemented in three phases. The inception
phase (study year 1) will involve: establishing the Administrative Core at BWH, Boston MA; developing a
detailed research protocol for implementation at the research sites (Thailand); conducting an assessment of
readiness for implementation of innovative mental health intervention solutions in both countries; and, making
contacts and exploring possibilities for collaboration with other NIMH regional hubs. The implementation
phase (study years 2-4) will involve piloting and conducting the implementation and scale up research activities
(Thailand) and implementing the capacity-building plan (Thailand and China). The final stage (study years 4-5)
will be devoted to evaluation, data sharing, and dissemination.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9964908
- **Project number:** 5U19MH113201-04
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Hongtu Chen
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $677,885
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-10 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9964908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9964908, Partnership in Implementation Science for Geriatric Mental Health (PRISM) (5U19MH113201-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9964908. Licensed CC0.

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