Growing a Tribal Healing Effort through Research (GATHER) to support AI/AN communities
Official title: GATHER: Growing a Tribal Healing Effort through Research
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11533805 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A grant to partner with AI/AN communities to build trust, capacity, and culturally grounded research that aims to address overdose, substance use, mental health, and pain in Native populations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $978,526 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2DA061063-01S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11533805 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are AI/AN individuals and communities engaged with tribal or Native-serving organizations and research teams seeking to address substance use, mental health, and pain through culturally grounded research.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not connected to or benefiting from AI/AN community-led research efforts may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
This project partners with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to strengthen research infrastructure and relationships, using strengths-based approaches rooted in culture and community connectedness. It will support tribal and Native-serving organizations, identify capacity needs, and help align research with community priorities. The effort focuses on improving health equity in areas like overdose, substance use, mental health, and pain through collaborative, culturally informed methods. By building local capacity, the program aims to enable tribes to lead and benefit from health research relevant to their communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, AI/AN communities could see more culturally resonant research guiding policies and interventions that reduce substance use, improve mental health, and alleviate pain.
How similar studies have gone: Similar community-driven, culturally grounded research collaborations have shown promise in aligning research with community priorities and improving trust and relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parker, Myra Elizabeth — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Parker, Myra Elizabeth
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.