International Mental Health Research Organization

When Shari and Garen Staglin's son, Brandon, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1990, they realized that advancements in scientific research were vital to understanding mental illness and they started a non-profit organization to raise funds for mental health research. With treatment and family support, Brandon was able to recover and since 1995 the Staglin family has been “changing the landscape from the Napa Valley to Washington, D.C. with sensational fundraisers on behalf of national mental health research." (Jeanne Winnick Brennan, LuxLife magazine). The Music Festival for Mental Health at Staglin Family Vineyard has brought together generous chefs, wineries, top-bill musicians and scientists to raise significant funds and awareness for the cause. Thanks to its donors and follow-on grant support from the National Institute for Mental Health, the organization has raised over $133 million so far and funded amazing projects that have helped thousands of people.

With this success, the Music Festival for Mental Health took their reach to the next level by expanding to become the International Mental Health Research Organization or IMHRO. Started by the original board members in the fall of 2008, IMHRO includes additional fundraising events around the nation and the leadership of additional board members, advisors and scientists from around the world—all working toward the same goal of finding cures for mental illness within our lifetime.

Specifically, the mission of IMHRO is to alleviate human suffering from mental illness by funding scientific research into the causes, prevention and new treatments of mental disorders—all leading to cures for the major mental illnesses, focusing on schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression. To further this purpose, IMHRO:

• Produces, supports and builds awareness for fundraising events to raise money for mental health research;
• Directs funding to the most promising research by soliciting and selecting proposals in the area of prevention, treatment and cure of mental disorders;
• Collaborates with affiliate organizations, people and events worldwide to raise and direct funding and minimize duplication of scientific effort; and
• Works to build awareness of the scientific achievements and possibilities.

Recently, IMHRO launched a research campaign to find the cure for all brain disorders by uniting America to be of “One Mind for Research” in a large scale effort to raise private and public funding for basic brain research. The brain has often been called the last frontier of medicine and with the human genome project, advances in biomedical computing, and brain imaging we are now at the point that the confidence of the scientific community in responding to this challenge has never been greater. Visit www.1mind4research.org to learn more.

Recently, IMHRO raised $3.3 million for mental health research with the 17^th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health on Saturday, September 10^th, 2011 at Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. It was an unforgettable day of learning, food, wine, and hope as donors gave a hand to the more than 50 million Americans who live with mental illness. Visit www.music-festival.org for details and tickets for next year’s event on September 15^th, 2012.

Last year, IMHRO led the formation of a first-ever coalition among all major mental health organizations to raise awareness about mental illness with a Public Service Announcement produced by Ron Howard in Grand Central Station, featuring Glenn Close and IMHRO members with the music of John Mayer. View the PSA and learn more at www.bringchange2mind.org.

Headquartered in Rutherford, Napa Valley, CA, the International Mental Health Research Organization’s Board of Directors is guided by its Scientific Advisory Board, a group of leaders in the key disciplines of psychiatric brain disorders, who provide their time and talent to develop research policy and review grant proposals. IMHRO is a 501(c) (3), tax ID 68-0359707. For additional details about IMHRO, visit the website www.imhro.org or email info@imhro.org.//