Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, along with other National Health Institutes, Centers, and Offices, seeks to advance its mission through the Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (IRINAH), which aims to support: • Research on the causes of health problems to inform the creation or refinement of interventions • Studies that develop, adapt, or test interventions for health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, or recovery • Research on the dissemination and implementation of strategies to overcome barriers to adopting, integrating, scaling up, and sustaining effective interventions. This initiative seeks interventions and related research that builds on community knowledge, strengths, and resilience to identify and rigorously test solutions to reduce morbidity and mortality in Native populations. Proposed interventions should be sustainable and flexible, so they can be adapted, shared, and expanded to other communities as appropriate. Grant authorities that allow NIDA to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S.C 241 and 284

Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;

The following considerations will be used in determining projects to be funded: (1) Scientific and technical merit; (2) the feasibility of the research; (3) potential contribution to the national drug abuse problem; and (4) relevance to NIDA priorities. The following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: (1) The soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; (2) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (3) the technological innovation of the proposed research; (4) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (5) the appropriateness of the budget requested; (6) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and (7) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. Phase II grant applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) The degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; (3) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (4) the technology.