---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 285p–2"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "285p–2"
heading: "Office of Rural Mental Health Research"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/285p-2"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III — National Research Institutes"
  - "Part C — Specific Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes"
  - "Subpart 16 — national institute of mental health"
---

# §285p–2. Office of Rural Mental Health Research

- (a) **In general—** There is established within the Institute an office to be known as the Office of Rural Mental Health Research (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Office”). The Office shall be headed by a [director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5), who shall be appointed by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of such Institute from among individuals experienced or knowledgeable in the provision of mental health [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in rural areas. The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall carry out the authorities established in this section acting through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office.
- (b) **Coordination of activities—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office, in consultation with the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Institute and with the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office of Rural Health Policy, shall—
  - (1) coordinate the research activities of the Department of Health and Human [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as such activities relate to the mental health of residents of rural areas; and
  - (2) coordinate the activities of the Office with similar activities of public and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private entities.
- (c) **Research, demonstrations, evaluations, and dissemination—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office may, with respect to the mental health of adults and children residing in rural areas—
  - (1) conduct research on conditions that are unique to the residents of rural areas, or more serious or prevalent in such residents;
  - (2) conduct research on improving the delivery of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in such areas; and
  - (3) disseminate information to appropriate public and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private entities.
- (d) **Authority regarding grants and contracts—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the Office may carry out the authorities established in [subsection (c)](#c) directly and through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts with public or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private entities.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 464T, as added Pub. L. 102–321, title I, § 124(b), July 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 365; amended Pub. L. 109–482, title I, § 104(b)(1)(L), Jan. 15, 2007, 120 Stat. 3693.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–482 struck out heading and text of subsec. (e). Text read as follows: “Not later than February 1, 1993, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Director shall submit to the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (of the House of Representatives), and to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources (of the Senate), a report describing the activities of the Office during the preceding fiscal year, including a summary of the activities of demonstration projects and a summary of evaluations of the projects.”

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–482 applicable only with respect to amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2007 or subsequent fiscal years, see section 109 of Pub. L. 109–482, set out as a note under section 281 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1992, with provision for programs providing financial assistance, see section 801(c), (d) of Pub. L. 102–321, set out as an Effective Date of 1992 Amendment note under section 236 of this title.