Senate approves major funding boost for social and behavioral research

Funding for the office that coordinates behavioral and social sciences research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will quadruple in 1999 if the Senate?s recommendations survive the next round of budget negotiations.

In September, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year 1999 appropriations bill that includes NIH.

And along with an overall increase for NIH of $2 billion, was a $10 million increase for the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)?an increase from $2.8 million to $12.8 million. The money is earmarked for the creation of 10 multidisciplinary mind/body centers that would study the link between stress and other psychological factors and illness.

Although the Senate committee did not provide details, the centers would probably be linked to universities, schools of public health and medical schools, says Pat Kobor, APA director of science policy. OBSSR will also likely have 'a lot of leeway about the scope and purpose of the centers,' she says.

'The committee understands that behavioral science is an area of exceptional promise for understanding and ameliorating some of the nation?s most serious health concerns, many of which are due to behavior,' reads the Senate bill.

This potential windfall for OBSSR still faces some challenges. The House Appropriations Committee approved its budget for NIH in July, providing a $1.2 billion increase for NIH?a 9 percent increase for a total of $14.9 billion?but no large increase for OBSSR.

At press time, neither bill had reached the floor for final passage. After the floor votes, the separate bills will then go to conference, where members of the House and Senate negotiate a final bill.

Despite the obstacles, the Senate?s proposed increase is a strong show of support for psychology and the other social and behavioral sciences, says Kobor. And she?s pretty optimistic that the money will survive.

NIH has strong bipartisan support and Rep. John Porter (R?Ill.), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, has been a strong supporter of mind-body research.

Earlier this year he invited OBSSR Director Norman B. Anderson, PhD, and several other researchers to testify at a hearing entitled 'Healing and the mind.' Sen. Arlen Specter (R?Pa.) convened another hearing on 'Holistic health: the mind and body in healing' Sept. 22.

?B. Azar