BIOBEHAVIORAL SYSTEMS
1140-23 Savannah Road
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jprescott34@comcast.net
http://www.violence.de
http://montagunocircpetition.org
8 May 2014
Senator Barbara A. Mikulski
Chairwoman, Committee on Senate Appropriations
Room S128, The Capitol,
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Mikulski,
Please find enclosed a copy of my letter to Dr. Francis Collins, Director National Institutes of Health, concerning his testimony before your Senate Appropriations Committee on 29 My 2014, where he made no reference to the single greatest Public Health problem of this Nation and that of the World, namely VIOLENCE.
C. Everett Koop, M.D., PHS Surgeon General and Deputy Assistant Secretary For Health. Stated 30 years ago in his address before the American Academy of Pediatrics, New York October 26, 1982 On Violence and Public Health that VIOLENCE “Is one of the most extensive and chronic epidemics in the Public Health of this country".
http://ttfuture.org/blog/1181/another-failed-mother-infant-bond
De. Koop’s advice and Council has been tragically ignored then and to this day by the National Institutes of Health with all the continuing Violence Agaiinst Women and Children. This neglect and indifference is nothing new.
In April 1974, the NIH published the Proceedings their Conference "Report of the Panel on NIH Research on Antisocial, Aggressive, and Violence-Related Behaviors and their Consequences", which stated:
Summary September 22-24, 1993 meeting: 2nd paragraph: "To date, investment across all Institutes and ICDs in violence-related research has been minuscule relative to the total NIH, View Page 138; and
The NIH RESEARCH PORTFOLIO: "With the exception of the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH), violence research has not been a major priority at NIH (25)". View Page 75. http://www.violence.de/history/NIHR_1994.html
This indifference and neglect continues to this day, as evidenced by Dr. Collins testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, which cannot be permitted to continue.
I have reviewed the history of the NICHD research programs on child abuse and neglect and the developmental origins of violence from 1966-1980, when I was Health Scientist Administrator, Developmental Biology Program, NICHD and urge you to review this review, as significant scientific breakthroughs were made in identifying impaired brain development in infant primates separated from their Mothers and which underlie the many social-emotional-behavioral pathologies that emerge from this denial of Mother Love.
Funding for these research initiatives were withdrawn and the NICHD denied that they had funded any research activities on child abuse and neglect. As these research activities were no longer the responsibility of the NICHD, my position was wrongfully terminated. . See enclosures.
http://www.violence.de/prescott/dvd/Nichd.pdf
See Letter exchange between Senator McC Mathias, Jr (2.23.81) and DHHS Secretary Schweiker (5.11.81).
Prescott J.W.(1977- NICHD Child Abuse Research Denied and Wrongful Termination
http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/PRD.html
http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/NICHD_Chronology.html
Our society, unfortunately, is responsible for many premature births and the denial of sensory-emotional Love of the Mother that accompanies prematurity which results in being born with impaired brain development with behavioral abnormalities that emerge in postnatal life that are reinforced with failure of affectional bonding between Mother and infant/child, which is rampant in our Culture.
We are a failed Culture that refuses to support Mothers being Nurturing Mothers with all the consequences that this entails.
Your review of this NICHD/NIH history with the objective to refocus the NICHD/NIH on its primary purpose: “to support research and training in the special health problems and requirements of mothers and children". Oct 17, 1962 (Public Law 87-838, Sec 441), namely child abuse and neglect, would be in the national and public health interest.
James W Prescott, Ph.D.
Director
Cc: Dr. John Holdren Policy Director, White House Office of Science and Technology
