# Community-Driven Indigenous Research, Cultural Strengths & Leadership to Advance Equity in Drug Use Outcomes (CIRCLE)

> **NIH NIH P50** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $2,826,539

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Drug and alcohol use related health problems and overdose deaths disproportionately impact quality and
longevity of life for many American Indian and Alaska Native (Indigenous) communities. The proposed
Community-Driven Indigenous Research, Cultural Strengths & Leadership to Advance Equity in Substance Use
Outcomes (CIRCLE) Center of Excellence (P50) aims to address drug use related health problems in
collaboration with diverse Indigenous communities. Through research, training, and outreach, we will respond to
calls from Indigenous Peoples for enhanced focus on recovery and prevention, sources of strength, culture and
family-based approaches to wellness, and policy solutions. The P50 projects and cores will operate with
emphasis on four cross-cutting domains, all centered on a bedrock of promoting Indigenous Health Equity: 1)
Indigenous & Allied Leadership; 2) Community/Tribally Based Participatory Research (C/TBPR); 3) Addressing
Heterogeneity via Precision Public Health; and 4) Centering Strengths, including Assessing Indigenous Cultural
Frameworks of Health. Reflecting these thematic approaches, the Center's overarching aims include conducting
impact-focused, C/TBPR to identify heterogeneity in substance use risk and protective factors and intervention
effects. We will also foster the development of Indigenous scholars to expand Indigenous autonomy, capacity
and innovation in research, practice, and policy surrounding alcohol and drug use. We further aim to expand and
deepen our engagement with educational facilities, researchers, Tribal and Urban Native communities, policy
makers, and the public to serve as a national resource for more rapid uptake and sharing of novel methods,
measures, and programs in service to Indigenous health equity. To achieve these goals, the Center will house
the following: 1) Administrative Core to oversee governance, administrative structures, scientific priorities, and
training activities; 2) Research Core to provide methodological expertise to support the research of the Center;
3) Pilot Project Core to support innovation in Indigenous drug use research, and 4) Three Research Projects that
will conduct multidisciplinary and synergistic science focused on drug use prevention, intervention, and policy.
The proposed work aligns with NIDA's Racial Equity Initiative action steps, including increased CBPR and equity-
driven partnerships to combat drug use inequities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10913546
- **Project number:** 5P50DA058619-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Allison Barlow
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $2,826,539
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10913546

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10913546, Community-Driven Indigenous Research, Cultural Strengths & Leadership to Advance Equity in Drug Use Outcomes (CIRCLE) (5P50DA058619-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10913546. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*