Helping American Indian and Alaska Native Communities Address Substance Use Harms
Center for Innovative Research, Capacity Building and Leadership Development to End Substance Use Harms (CIRCLE)
This center works with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to find new ways to prevent and treat drug and alcohol related health problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11101273 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many American Indian and Alaska Native communities face significant challenges from drug and alcohol use, which can impact their health and lifespan. This center partners directly with these communities to develop new ways to prevent and treat substance use harms. We focus on understanding what causes these issues and what helps people recover, using community-led approaches. Our goal is to find practical solutions and share knowledge to improve health and well-being for these communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This center focuses on research and community engagement within American Indian and Alaska Native communities affected by substance use.
Not a fit: Patients outside of American Indian and Alaska Native communities, or those not impacted by substance use harms, may not directly benefit from this specific center's work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies for substance use in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, improving health and longevity.
How similar studies have performed: This center emphasizes Community/Tribally Based Participatory Research, an approach that has shown promise in addressing health disparities in Indigenous communities.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Walls, Melissa L. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Walls, Melissa L.
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.