Healing from Within: Sharing wellness journeys for Alaska Native communities
Heal(th) From Within: A Research Collaborative to Share our Journeys to Wellness
A community-led effort to develop culturally grounded ways to prevent overdoses, help with chronic pain, and support mental health for Alaska Native people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Anchorage, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367181 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of a project led by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to strengthen local research and plan culturally grounded approaches for substance use, overdose, pain, and mental health. The team will work with tribes and community members across Alaska to listen to experiences, form advisory groups, and identify local strategies that fit community needs. In this Phase I work they are building the partnerships, tools, and infrastructure needed to test interventions later. The goal is to design programs that respect Alaska Native cultures and can be tried in Phase II studies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Alaska Native individuals and community members affected by substance use, overdose risk, chronic pain, or mental health concerns who live in or are connected to tribal communities in Alaska.
Not a fit: People who are not part of Alaska Native communities or who need immediate clinical treatment for pain or addiction are unlikely to directly benefit from this capacity-building phase.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce culturally appropriate programs that reduce overdoses, improve pain care, and strengthen mental wellbeing in Alaska Native communities.
How similar studies have performed: Community-driven, culturally tailored programs have shown promise in other Indigenous settings, but this specific Alaska Native collaborative approach will need later-phase testing to demonstrate impact.
Where this research is happening
Anchorage, United States
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium — Anchorage, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ford, Tara — Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
- Study coordinator: Ford, Tara
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 below.