The HealthCentral Network and NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association Form Alliance to Develop Enhanced Online Resources
ARLINGTON, Va., March 7 /PRNewswire/ — The HealthCentral Network (http://www.healthcentral.com/) and NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association (http://www.narsad.org/) announce an agreement to combine the extensive online consumer mental health community at The HealthCentral Network with the cutting-edge research funded by NARSAD’s donor community. One of the first joint projects will be to develop online consumer-oriented videos from NARSAD’s upcoming mental health research symposium on brain disorders affecting children and adolescents, taking place March 10th in Palm Beach, Florida.
NARSAD’s mission is to raise and distribute funding for the most promising psychiatric disease research in order to develop new preventative measures, better diagnoses and improved treatments for mental illnesses. “We are delighted to make use of The HealthCentral Network’s multimedia capabilities to build greater visibility for the important work NARSAD grantees are doing to find the causes and cures for brain-associated disorders,” said Steve Doochin, Executive Director of NARSAD. NARSAD invests in the best and brightest scientific minds throughout the world to unravel the complexities of schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and many other psychiatric diseases. NARSAD continues to support the researchers as they use their findings to develop the next-generation of diagnostics and treatments for these conditions.
The HealthCentral Network has several Web sites focused on prevalent mental health disorders including http://www.mydepressionconnection.com/, http://www.bipolarconnect.com/, http://www.anxietyconnection.com/, http://www.schizophreniaconnection.com/, and http://www.ouralzheimers.com/. Each of these Web sites combines a base of comprehensive medical information and interactive tools with patient experts and health professionals to help people of all ages manage their conditions and learn from other patients who have first-hand experience.
“We are very excited to be working with NARSAD, the world’s largest donor- supported organization for research on psychiatric disorders,” said Chris Schroeder, CEO and President of The HealthCentral Network, “and look forward to bringing its expertise and insights on mental health issues and cutting edge research to our online communities. Research headlines can be very confusing and NARSAD can help provide context and meaning to individuals searching for health information.”
About The HealthCentral Network
The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (http://www.healthcentral.com/) is a new and unique online offering, comprised of over 30 general health and highly specific condition and wellness web properties, each committed to offering a voice in every day and personal language people can understand and connect with at critical points in their lives. Each site provides timely, interactive, in-depth and trusted medical information (from Harvard Health among others), and connections to leading experts and thousands of people who share their related experiences and inspiration.
The HealthCentral Network recently launched personal health tools including the most comprehensive web solution for caregivers managing their communities of friends and families (http://www.carecentral.com/). The company also produces the nationally syndicated television show Medical Breakthroughs with Dr. Dean Edell, and has a library of nearly 1,000 short-form, condition- specific videos throughout its network.
The HealthCentral Network was acquired in 2005 by Polaris Ventures, Sequoia Capital, The Carlyle Group and Allen & Company, and has built a management team that combines decades of experience in interactive media and medical, science and news journalism. The company received top recognition from The International Health and Medical Media Awards with a 2006 FREDDIE Award for MyDiabetesCentral.com and the Health Care Standard of Excellence WebAward from the Web Marketing Association.
About NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association
NARSAD supports innovative scientific research to find the causes and better treatments for severe psychiatric illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, autism and other adult and childhood disorders. Since 1987, through the generosity and commitment of thousands of donors around the country, NARSAD has distributed nearly $200 million in research grants to 2,284 scientists in the United States and 25 other countries. NARSAD’s grants programs are designed to attract talented young scientists to the field of brain and behavior research and help sustain the most promising work of mid-career and senior investigators. NARSAD is assisted in the review and selection of research proposals by its Scientific Council, a volunteer group of 94 leading neuroscientists — including two Nobel Laureates and four former directors of the National Institute of Mental Health — whose areas of expertise represent the spectrum of brain and behavior research.
The HealthCentral Network
CONTACT: Kristen Simone, Director Public Relations of NARSAD,+1-516-829-0091, ext. 241, ksimone@narsad.org; or Kristen Carriker, PR &Marketing Manager of The HealthCentral Network, +1-703-302-1058,carriker@thcn.com
Web site: http://www.healthcentral.com/http://www.narsad.org/http://www.mydepressionconnection.com/http://www.bipolarconnect.com/http://www.anxietyconnection.com/http://www.schizophreniaconnection.com/http://www.ouralzheimers.com/http://www.carecentral.com/