Lakota mentoring to reduce alcohol harms and support whole-person wellbeing
Official title: Pilot Evaluation of a Lakota-centered Lifespan Mentoring Program to Reduce Alcohol Related Problems and Promote Holistic Wellbeing
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11360278 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a Lakota-centered mentoring program to help American Indian adults reduce alcohol-related problems and strengthen mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $207,598 |
| NIH project number | 7R34AA031347-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360278 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Lakota or other American Indian adults who experience hazardous drinking or alcohol-related consequences and want culturally grounded peer mentoring and support.
✕Less likely to help
People who need urgent medical detox, intensive inpatient addiction treatment, or who are not interested in culturally centered mentoring may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, you would connect with peer mentors through a Lakota-led program run by the nonprofit Oaye Luta Okolakiciye that focuses on cultural identity, social connection, and healthy coping skills. The program combines cultural immersion activities, peer support, and life-skills work across the lifespan. Researchers will follow participants over time using interviews and surveys about alcohol use, consequences, and holistic wellbeing to see how the program works in the community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lower hazardous drinking and alcohol-related harms while improving holistic wellbeing in Lakota and other American Indian communities.
How similar studies have gone: Some culturally tailored alcohol programs have shown promise, but Lakota-developed, lifespan mentoring programs like this are relatively new and not yet widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gardella, Joseph Hiroyuki — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Gardella, Joseph Hiroyuki
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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.