NCCIH Research Blog

In April 2018, NIH launched the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term^SM) Initiative, an aggressive, trans-agency effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health crisis. As several of our colleagues have discussed on the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) Research Blog, we are participating in several HEAL funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). This blog post briefly describes four of these announcements that relate to behavioral research.

Behavioral Research to Improve MAT (BRIM)

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is an established effective treatment for people with opioid use disorders (OUD). FDA-approved medications include methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Despite the effectiveness of these medications, people who begin MAT may not continue it long enough to have benefit. The goal of the BRIM FOAs is to support research that will improve MAT adherence and outcomes. Funding opportunities within this topic include:

HEAL Initiative: Behavioral Research to Improve MAT (BRIM): Behavioral and Social Interventions to Improve Adherence to Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-AT-19-006)

The purpose of this BRIM FOA is to solicit research applications to examine the impact of behavioral and social interventions designed to improve adherence to MAT for persons with OUD. Adherence is increasingly understood as a multifaceted concept. Adherence to MAT involves three dimensions: initiation (i.e., starting the MAT regimen), implementation (i.e., executing the MAT dosing schedule), and persistence (i.e., length of time on MAT before discontinuation). Each dimension of adherence may have unique determinants, and each may require distinct behavioral and social interventions. To learn more about this FOA, join our BRIM pre-application webinar on Monday, January 14 at 2 p.m. ET. If you can’t join us then, the videocast will be archived on the NIH Videocast page for later viewing.

HEAL Initiative Limited Competition: Behavioral Research to Improve MAT (BRIM): Ancillary Studies to Enhance Behavioral or Social Interventions to Improve Adherence to Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-AT-19-007)

To build upon State infrastructure developed through SAMHSA grants funded under TI-17-014 “State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis” grants, the NCCIH and the National Institute on Drug Abuse published three FOAs (RFA-AT-18-001, RFA-AT-18-002, and RFA-DA-18-005). Grantees funded through these FOAs may submit applications through this BRIM FOA that will support ancillary research activities to substantially enhance and/or expand the aims of the funded parent grants.

Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults

HEAL Initiative: Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults (ages 16-30) (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) (RFA-DA-19-035)

The purpose of this FOA is to solicit research applications to develop, adapt, and test interventions and strategies to prevent initiation of opioid misuse and development of OUD in at-risk older adolescents and young adults ages 16-30. Of priority are studies that target older adolescents and young adults in health care settings, justice settings, and other systems and settings that are opportune for accessing and engaging target populations.

Optimizing the Collaborative Care Model for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorders and Mental Health Conditions

HEAL Initiative: Effectiveness Trials to Optimize, Implement, Scale, and Sustain the Collaborative Care Model for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorders and Mental Health Conditions (U01 Clinical Trial Required) (RFA-MH-19-525)

The purpose of this FOA is to solicit research applications that will develop methods to adapt the Collaborative Care Model (a specific service delivery model for treating mental/behavioral health conditions in primary care settings) to meet the needs of individuals with OUD and co-occurring mental health conditions. Effectiveness clinical trials are envisioned to develop, optimize, implement, scale, and sustain collaborative models that offer MAT alongside indicated treatment for mental health conditions that commonly co-occur with OUD and are treatable in primary care.

Summary

This blog briefly describes four HEAL Initiative funding opportunities that NCCIH is leading or co-leading. They focus on behavioral research to address the national opioid public health crisis. Investigators are strongly encouraged to read the announcements carefully and related links for more information. You can also visit our website to read more about NCCIH’s Role in the NIH HEAL Initiative and see a full list of the funding opportunities we support.