Person-centered Indigenous model of wellness (PERCH)
PERSON-CENTERED RESEARCH ON CULTURE AS HEALTH (PERCH) An Indigenous Model of Wellness
Building a culturally rooted recovery and wellness program to help Native American teens ages 13–17 who are dealing with substance use and mental health challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lac Du Flambeau, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367179 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would see a planned residential Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center that combines clinical care with traditional Indigenous values and healing practices for youth aged 13–17. The project will set up a local tribal Institutional Review Board and strengthen research and program infrastructure so the community can guide how care and data are handled. Staff training, person-centered care protocols, and partnerships across member Tribes will be developed to support continuity of care. The focus is on planning and building community-led services rather than testing a specific medication or device.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Native American adolescents (ages 13–17) experiencing substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions, and tribal communities helping implement the program.
Not a fit: People who are not Native American adolescents (for example adults, non-Native youth, or youth without SUD) or those outside the participating tribal region are unlikely to benefit directly from this grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve culturally relevant recovery support and mental health outcomes for Native American adolescents with substance use disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Culturally tailored Indigenous wellness and recovery efforts have shown promise in community settings, but a residential adolescent recovery center combined with a tribal-led IRB and formalized research infrastructure is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Lac Du Flambeau, United States
- Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, INC. — Lac Du Flambeau, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Denslinger, Christina — Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, INC.
- Study coordinator: Denslinger, Christina
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.