Research Operations and Technical Assistance for Indigenous Health Research
Official title: Research Infrastructure Enhancement Project: Research Operations and Technical Assistance
Funded at Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations · NIH-11366302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program to strengthen how Indigenous communities lead and participate in health research, with activities at Tribal sites and youth involvement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Spokane Valley, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $235,622 |
| NIH project number | 1S06GM164729-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366302 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are individuals within the tribal communities involved in recovery-related health research, including youth and adults who engage with HL and affiliated tribes.
✕Less likely to help
In communities without active engagement in the program, benefits may be limited to broader capacity-building outcomes.
What this research studies
This grant backs a Center-based effort to build robust research operations and provide technical support for tribal-led health research. It focuses on partnerships with Tribal organizations and the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations to engage community members and youth in recovery-related topics. The work will address ethical and regulatory needs, data management, and methods to improve participation and trust in research hosting. The goal is to expand Indigenous-led health research capacity and ensure studies align with community priorities. The emphasis is on building sustainable infrastructure to support current and future tribal health projects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, communities may experience more culturally appropriate and trusted health research efforts and better access to community-driven findings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous related work demonstrates that tribal-led research partnerships can improve recruitment, trust, and relevance of health research.
Where this research is happening
-
Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations
Spokane Valley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Laplante, Debi a — Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations
- Study coordinator: Laplante, Debi a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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First Face for Adolescents (adapting a tribal program for teens)
A youth-focused mental health and substance-use program is being adapted for AI/AN teens to help with self-management, peer support, and when to seek professional help.
-
Optimizing Tribal Youth Outcomes for Leas & Legal Professionals
A culturally grounded training program for Tribal law enforcement and legal professionals to better support youth with mental health and substance-use challenges.
-
First Face in the Classroom: Helping Youth Thrive with Mental Health Training
A school-based mental health training program, adapted from First Face, is being developed to support youth in preventing and responding to mental health crises.
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Administrative Core supports tribal youth mental health research and collaboration
This grant funds an Administrative Core to boost collaboration, planning, and culturally grounded mental health work with Indigenous communities and youth.
-
Advancing Cultures of Recovery in Tribal Communities
A tribal youth addiction-recovery program is partnering with researchers to strengthen culturally grounded support and mental health services for American Indian youth in recovery.
-
Strengthening Tribal community recovery and mental health support
This project will build and train a local research and training team to improve culturally grounded mental health and substance use supports for Tribal communities.
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.