HEAL Initiative: Research to Increase Implementation of Substance Use Preventive Services (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The HEAL Initiative: Research to Increase Implementation of Substance Use Preventive Services (R01 Clinical Trial Optional), administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to support the implementation and sustainability of effective strategies to prevent opioid and other substance misuse and use disorders. The initiative is part of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative, which aims to address the national opioid public health crisis by improving treatment for opioid misuse and addiction and enhancing pain management. This particular funding opportunity is a collaborative effort involving the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Additional co-funding may come from NIH Offices such as the Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). This grant opportunity (RFA-DA-24-067) is specifically designed to bridge the gap between research and practice in the area of substance use prevention. Applicants are invited to propose research that addresses the challenges in delivering and sustaining evidence-based preventive services. The focus should be on selective or indicated prevention strategies for individuals at risk of or already misusing substances but not meeting criteria for a substance use disorder. Applications must be based on existing pilot, preliminary, or feasibility data and must include a plan for meaningful engagement of end users such as policymakers, practitioners, and community members. Funding supports projects that test strategies for embedding preventive services within existing systems like healthcare, education, and justice, or building a standalone prevention infrastructure. Research should aim at optimizing implementation processes, workforce development, leveraging technology, understanding cost-effectiveness, and utilizing data for service tracking. Proposals that merely describe barriers to service delivery or test novel interventions are not eligible. Projects are expected to be designed for scalability and sustainability, with potential for broader public health impact. Applications may be submitted by a wide range of eligible U.S.-based entities including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, local governments, tribal governments, public housing authorities, independent school districts, and faith-based organizations. Foreign institutions are not eligible, although foreign components of U.S. organizations may participate. All applicants must complete several registrations including SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. Individual investigators must also register with eRA Commons. Submissions are accepted on multiple due dates, with the next upcoming deadline on June 17, 2025. Letters of Intent are due 30 days prior to each application deadline. The earliest submission date was December 17, 2023, and the final expiration date for this funding opportunity is May 24, 2025. The NIH strongly encourages early submission to allow for error correction during the submission process. Applicants are also advised to consult NIH Program staff early in their proposal development. For questions, key contacts include Amy B. Goldstein, PhD at NIDA, Jennifer N. Baumgartner, PhD at NCCIH, David Frankowski, PhD at NIA, and Denise L. Stredrick, PhD at ODP. Peer review questions should be directed to the NIDA Review team. Financial and grants management contacts are also provided for each participating institute.