Building community support and simpler care for stroke survivors
Official title: Advancing Community Connections and Calculating Risk to Optimize Stroke Survivorship (ACROSS)
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11132899 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will help stroke survivors and their caregivers in Flint and Chicago connect with local resources and simplify medication plans so daily recovery is easier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $637,722 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS138072-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132899 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have had a stroke (and their caregivers) living in or near Flint, Michigan or Chicago, Illinois who are managing medications and post-stroke recovery are the best fit.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of stroke, those living far from the study cities, or those whose recovery needs are already fully met may not gain direct benefit.
What this research studies
You would be invited to work with researchers and community partners who want to learn about your day-to-day recovery challenges and priorities. The team will map and link you to personalized local resources (like services, programs, or supports) to increase your capacity to manage life after stroke. They will also work with clinicians to reduce the complexity of medication regimens so treatment better fits what matters to you. Activities are rooted in community input and aim to bridge services between neighborhoods and the health system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make recovery less overwhelming by connecting you to helpful local supports and simplifying your medication routine.
How similar studies have gone: Some community-based support and medication-simplification programs have helped other patient groups, but combining personalized community linkages with treatment simplification for stroke survivors is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Skolarus, Lesli Elizabeth — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Skolarus, Lesli Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Helping stroke survivors and caregivers navigate care and medications
A program in Chicago and Flint will work with communities to make stroke recovery easier by linking people to personalized resources and simplifying medication plans.
-
Improving support for stroke survivors in underserved communities
This study is all about helping stroke survivors from diverse backgrounds by connecting them with the resources they need, like food and transportation, and making sure their medications fit their personal goals, so they can feel better and stick to their treatment plans.
-
Stroke prevention with hydroxyurea for children with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria
A multinational, patient-facing study tests whether hydroxyurea can safely prevent first strokes in Nigerian children with sickle cell anemia.
-
Music-powered tools to boost blood pressure and stroke prevention for Nigerian youth and their older caregivers
This project uses popular music to help Nigerian youths and their older family members start and stick to blood pressure and stroke prevention habits.
-
Understanding how survivorship care plans affect health outcomes for cancer survivors
A study will look at whether survivorship care plans help reduce deaths and improve health for adults who have survived cancer.
-
Determinants of Post-Stroke Cognitive Outcomes and Vascular Effects on Recovery
A large, multi-site effort aims to understand why some stroke survivors develop long-term cognitive problems and dementia, and how vascular health and pre-existing brain changes influence recovery.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.