Notice Number: NOT-DA-16-004

Key Dates
Release Date: November 24, 2015
Estimated Publication Date of Announcement: January 2016
First Estimated Application Due Date: February 2016
Earliest Estimated Award Date: September 2016
Earliest Estimated Start Date: November 2016

Issued by
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)

Purpose

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences (OBSSR) are seeking research grant applications on the development and testing of behavioral and integrative treatments for drug and alcohol abuse and dependence. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) reaffirms NIDA's, NIAAA's and OBSSR's continued commitment to major programs of research on behavioral and integrative treatments. Specifically, the development of putative targets and mechanisms of behavior change, and the use and development of valid and reliable assessment tools are crucial to the three Stages of treatment research supported under this initiative:

Stage I (treatment generation, refinement) encompasses all activities related to the creation of a new behavioral intervention. This stage also includes the modification, adaptation, or refinement of an existing intervention (Stage IA). Stage I culminates in feasibility and pilot testing (Stage 1B). For example, one can conduct Stage I studies in research settings, with research therapists and research subjects; or in community settings with community providers.

Stage II ( Efficacy ) research consists of experimental testing of promising behavioral interventions in research settings, with research-based therapists/providers.

Stage III ( Efficacy in Real-World ) research consist of experimental testing of promising behavioral interventions in community settings, with community-based therapists/providers and patients, while maintaining a high level of control necessary to establish internal validity.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.

The FOA is expected to be published in January 2016 with an expected application due date in February 2016.

This FOA will utilize the R01 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into this area of treatment research to begin to consider applying for this new FOA.

In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, technology/engineering, pharmacology, etc. will be encouraged and these investigators also should begin considering applying for this application.

Among the areas of research encouraged in this initiative is translational research that examines the mechanisms that underlie the effects of substance use and dependence to improve the existing knowledge of strategies for the treatment of substance use or dependence. Specifically, the overarching of this initiative is to produce maximally efficacious behavioral interventions (individual and group) to treat drug abuse, promote medication/treatment adherence, and prevent HIV that take advantage of new knowledge in neuroscience, new technologies and of medications that may improve tangible outcomes of behavioral interventions (e.g., improving cognitive function). There also is an emphasis on research aimed at boosting intervention effects to produce targeted interventions for different types of substance abusing populations (including pregnant women, populations with comorbidity of psychiatric disorders, and prisoners) or populations with pain. Stages of treatment development will include Stage I, Stage II and Stage III efficacy studies (e.g., randomized clinical trials, adaptive designs, SMART designs, experimental therapeutics approach) of behavioral, combined, or integrated treatment interventions, adherence interventions, and prevention interventions for HIV risk behaviors. This includes treatment dose-response studies, and studies of the optimal sequencing of treatment, adherence, and HIV prevention interventions. Also of interest are integrated or sequential treatments for populations with substance use disorder(s) and co-occurring medical and/or psychiatric condition(s). Research on the treatment of any substance of abuse, including illicit drugs, prescription medications, nicotine, alcohol and multiple drugs is encouraged. Of particular interest, and relevant to most examples listed below, are studies that seek to determine basic mechanisms of behavior change, within the context of behavioral treatment research. Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to include (and if necessary develop) measures of proposed mediators, moderators, and mechanisms of behavior change relevant to their intervention. This may include, for example, behavioral, cognitive, social, affective, and/or neurobiological targets.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Will M. Aklin, Ph.D.
National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Telephone: 301-443-3207
Email: aklinwm@mail.nih.gov