The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) announced a hefty investment of up to $100 million in more quantitative measures of mental and behavioral health through its new Evidence-Based Validation & Innovation for Rapid Therapeutics in Behavioral Health (EVIDENT) initiative.

EVIDENT’s goal is to improve behavioral and mental health care with (1) more robust data on individual clinical outcomes and (2) improve patient’s unique response to novel treatment approaches. With this charge the agency believes it can assist in greater results in the mental and behavioral health field. 

“Through EVIDENT, we aim to break through longstanding barriers in mental health measurement, diagnosis, and treatment — bringing faster, more precise solutions to all Americans,” said ARPA-H Director Alicia Jackson, PhD. “With robust data and novel therapies, we are paving the way for understanding the best uses of groundbreaking treatments and demystifying the field of mental health.”

The agency is touting the possibility that ARPA-H’s multimodal, longitudinal data (psychological, social, digital, biological) in clinical trials can demonstrate rapid-acting interventions for behavioral health (neuroplastogens, neuromodulation, digital therapeutics). Therapeutic paths will be more closely aligned with patient-centered care for stronger individual and collective outcomes. For more information, visit the EVIDENT at the ARPA-H Customer Experience Hub.

https://arpa-h.gov/news-and-events/arpa-h-invest-leading-edge-approaches-mental-health-treatment