Community Clinical Research is a community of health care professionals whose mission is to provide access to investigational medications to persons suffering from mental illness. Our principal investigator, David Brown, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed a fellowship in biological psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health, and has over 15 years experience in conducting research studies. Conrad Arevalo and Annie Stenn, our community liaisons, not only help assess the appropriateness of a given research study for an individual participant, but also connect study participants to other care providers in the community. Our study coordinators, Joshua Langohr, Ann Furuta, Mary-Beth Archer, Rey Rocha and Philip Carolina bring with them compassion, commitment, and a wealth of varied experience in providing care to the mentally ill.

Each year, we successfully enroll and complete both outpatient and inpatient trials. Our office at 8334 Cross Park Drive has twenty beds, a day room with a pool table and a large flat screen plasma television, as well as a quiet room. Those participating in an inpatient trial have access to comforting and comfortable grounds outside the building. Diana Woodard, our patient liaison, leads community groups and plans activities, including games, gardening, day-trips, movie night, among many others. Inpatients may participate as they wish in these activities. Inpatient staff members undergo rigorous training and focus solely on the study participant. We do not use a study participant's health insurance benefits nor do we contact any insurance companies.

All study participants receive, at no cost, extensive initial psychiatric evaluations and carefully planned and monitored follow-up visits. Most of our study participants also receive some compensation to acknowledge their time and their willingness to take part in a clinical trial. Whether study participants complete a study or leave a protocol early, we offer appropriate attention and medical intervention so that each ends his/her study participation as stable as his/her medical condition permits. Following participation in a study, Dr. Brown continues to treat all patients to ensure an appropriate transition to, if the patient wishes, care with another mental health provider. Community Clinical Research attempts, whenever possible, to participate in long-term extension studies that may provide individuals with continued access to a given study medication. We want to give to the study participant and to his or her larger community a thoughtful and hopeful alternative.

We believe that the best hope for those who suffer from mental illness lies in research, in the future; for many, in the immediate future. We have chosen to direct our professional lives toward bringing that future into the present. We welcome any questions you might have about our work in general or about the appropriateness of any referral you might have.