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Research about mental illness and its treatments is an important part of The Universtiy of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center's mission. The primary goals of research conducted at UTHCPC are to develop new technology, to find the causes of mental illness, to provide better and more effective treatment options and to continue to provide quality patient care.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School directs research activities at UTHCPC.

Research treatment programs at UTHCPC are 'outcome based', or designed to study and provide for more effective patient care. Research may also study the effectiveness of new drugs or treatment programs. Studies completed at UTHCPC have contributed to the development of new and innovative treatments for persons with mental illness; such treatments would have been delayed without a meaningful study population to work with. Patients who meet the criteria for a research study can only participate on a voluntary basis and the research study must be integrated into the overall care plan for all participating patients. Additionally, patients have the right to withdraw from a study at any time. Current areas of research include schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, child behavior, and substance abuse.

UTHCPC is also taking the lead in many areas of research. UTHCPC-led research in the area of brain imaging will, for example, allow doctors to study brain patterns and their relationship to mental illness, in much the same way a medical doctor may study a person's predisposition to cancer or other illnesses. Additionally, UTHCPC is involved in research studies looking at ways to treat persons with schizophrenia who have become resistant to currently available medications.

Our Mission

The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center is dedicated to excellence and leadership in the provision of patient care and the growing need for treatment of persons with mental illness in Harris County. UTHCPC has the unique additional missions of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, which includes conducting research into the cause and treatment of mental illness, educating professionals in the care of the mentally ill and providing the resources and knowledge of our staff to the local community.