Research into effective medications and services is vitally important to the mental health field. Medical and rehabilitative advances of the past quarter century have changed our society's understanding of what is possible for someone with mental illness to achieve. Yet most researchers and practitioners agree that much remains unknown about mental illness and its treatment. As the Surgeon General's report on mental health notes, the nation must continue to invest in research at all levels to continue the trends benefiting many people today. ^[1]  

The federal government sets much of the nation's agenda in basic, clinical, and services research. The research agenda is broadly encompassing; it should not overlook concerns of those people with mental illness who have contact with the criminal justice system. Practitioners and policymakers at the community level should be familiar with the research process and should promote continued support of federal agencies, such as the National Institute of Mental Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

At the same time, the government should ensure that its policies and relationships with academic research centers and with industry promote research expected to benefit the same core group of disabled individuals. Close attention should be paid to provision of incentives that will ensure continuation of the progress this field has experienced in recent decades.

The research community also has an obligation to guard the safety of any human subjects involved in its programs. Mental health service providers must work with researchers to ensure that clients who participate in research understand the potential risks and benefits of the programs in which they take part.