Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded $922,289 to the Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene, Inc. (through its New York State Psychiatric Institute division) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) beginning May 1, 2026, and extending through February 28, 2031. This Project Grant supports an optimization study titled "Making the Most of Relapse Prevention in Anorexia Nervosa: A Treatment Optimization Study Targeting Habits," which addresses the critical clinical need for improved relapse prevention following acute treatment of anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disorder with relapse rates between 40–80 percent.

The research delivers a finalized, evidence-based treatment package through the development and testing of the Relapse Prevention and Changing Habits (REACH+) intervention. Using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy framework, the study will conduct an optimization experiment evaluating four key treatment components—behavioral, cognitive, motivation, and food monitoring elements—targeting habitual control of maladaptive eating behaviors. Over the five-year performance period, the research will provide six months of REACH+ treatment to approximately 120 individuals with anorexia nervosa or atypical presentations during the high-vulnerability post-acute treatment period. The resulting products include identification of which intervention components most effectively interrupt habitual restriction and decrease relapse, thereby establishing an optimized treatment protocol for clinical implementation and future dissemination.