Indigenous Strengths as Solutions in a Public Health Crisis (Project ISH)

ABSTRACT The Northwest Indian College (NWIC) in partnership with the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board (NWWIHB), proposes a Phase I application in response to the OTA-23-007 HEAL Initiative: Native Collective Research Effort to Enhance Wellness (N CREW) Program: Addressing Overdose, Substance Use, Mental Health and Pain. Our application has the overall goal to engage in T/NASO-led planning and development to implement “Indigenous Strengths as Solutions in a Public Health Crisis (Project ISH)” within Coast Salish communities. We need novel and innovative solutions and approaches to address the ongoing opioid/fentanyl overdose public health emergency. Our proposed Project ISH Phase I will enhance research capacity to develop and implement healthy data-driven solutions for addressing community needs along the full continuum of care to reduce substance use and mental health disparities and promote holistic well-being. Our proposed Project ISH Phase 1 N CREW has two primary goals: Goal 1) Enhance research and data management capacity at NWIC and the NWWIHB and contribute to data improvements and an innovative “Intertribal Healthy Data Dashboard” for the T/NASOs served by our organizations; Goal 2) Develop novel, Indigenous knowledge-based interventions that build Coast Salish strengths and protective factors to reduce risk for substance use and overdose and promote mental health and well-being. Our proposed Project ISH builds on a long history of T/NASO-directed and community-driven research. The goals and aims of Project ISH have the potential to advance strengths-based solutions to meet the identified needs of Coast Salish communities. Collectively, our aims and our planned research and data activities have the strong potential to yield long-term, sustainable benefits for T/NASO-led research. We need community- driven solutions that build on the Indigenous knowledge of what has protected Coast Salish people since time immemorial. Along with these Indigenous interventions, we need the healthy data that more fully and accurately tells our stories of healing, hope and recovery. This study is part of the NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative to speed scientific solutions to the national opioid public health crisis. The NIH HEAL Initiative bolsters research across NIH to improve treatment for opioid misuse and addiction.