Translational science at the National Institute of Mental Health: Can social work take its rightful place?

Several recent national reports have noted that there is a 20-year gap between knowledge generated from our best clinical research and the utilization of that knowledge in our health and mental health care sectors. One solution to this dilemma has been the emergence of translational science. Translational science has become a top priority of the National Institute of Mental Health. The goal of translational science in mental health is to speed the use of findings from our best science into usual-care settings and to build partnerships between research and practice constituencies. The purpose of this article is to define translational science for social work, to provide a framework for translational research, and to outline an agenda of activity that will allow social work to become a significant driver in the translational research agenda in mental health services.