Full Text PA-92-70 RESEARCH ON THE HOMELESS WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 16, May 1, 1992 PA: PA-92-70 P.T. 34 Keywords: Alcohol/Alcoholism Disease Prevention+ Rehabilitation/Therapy, Emotional National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) invites researchers to submit research grant applications dealing with the identification, treatment, and rehabilitation of homeless people with alcohol problems and the prevention of alcohol abuse and alcoholism among homeless people who are not alcoholics. This program announcement is a revised version of an earlier announcement with the same title issued in March 1989. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This program announcement, Research on the Homeless with Alcohol Problems, is related to the priority area of decreasing morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0, or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone (202) 783-3238). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications for research grants may be made by public and private non- profit and for-profit organizations, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal Government. Women and minority investigators are encouraged to apply. MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT Research support may be requested through applications for an individual research grant (R01), small grant (R03), and First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Award (R29). Special announcements for the FIRST Award program (R29) and the small grant program (R03) are available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (see APPLICATION PROCEDURES) Applicants for R01s may request support for up to five years, small grants are limited to two years and FIRST award applicants may request five years of support. FIRST awards and small grants may not be renewed, but applications may be submitted for R01 support to continue research on the same topics. Annual awards will be made, subject to continued availability of funds and progress achieved. Terms and Conditions of Support Grant funds may be used for expenses clearly related and necessary to carry out research projects, including direct costs that can be specifically identified with the project and allowable indirect costs of the institution. Funds may not be used to establish, add a component to, or operate a treatment, rehabilitation, or prevention service program. Support for research-related treatment, rehabilitation, or prevention services and programs may be requested only for those particular costs and for that period of time required by the research. These costs must be justified in terms of research objectives, methods, and designs that promise to yield important generalizable knowledge and/or to make a significant contribution to theoretical concepts. Grants will be administered in accordance with the PHS Grants Policy Statement (rev. October 1990). FUNDS AVAILABLE No specific funds are being allocated by NIAAA for this program. Applications received in response to this announcement will compete with others submitted to NIAAA for funding. The amount of funding available will depend on appropriated funds, quality of research proposals, and program priorities at the time of the award. In FY 1991, four grants relating to this program area, including both new and continuation grants, were funded for $1.25 million. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Definitive data are not available on the number, distribution, and characteristics of the homeless population of the United States. A national study by the Department of Housing and Urban Development concluded that, on a single night during the winter of 1983-84, there were approximately 250,000 to 350,000 homeless persons. Others have estimated the number to be as high as 3,000,000. This population is heterogeneous, including both male and female adults, families, youth, elderly, veterans, migrants, and minorities. Many have alcohol, other drug, and mental health problems. Homelessness is widely considered to be a growing problem. The causes are complex, including unemployment, deinstitutionalization, limited housing resources, and personal crises. Research indicates that approximately 35 to 40 percent of homeless individuals have alcohol problems. The purpose of this program announcement is to encourage investigator interest in the area of the homeless population with alcohol problems, including those at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Investigators are also encouraged to study the role of alcohol in conjunction with other drug abuse and mental health problems in the homeless. Research is sought on the following topics: o assessing the impact of existing treatment service models and specific interventions that are effective in reducing alcohol problems among the homeless; o developing new techniques and service delivery models for effectively treating alcohol problems among the homeless; o identifying barriers to community treatment services and determining means to improve access to care; o evaluating current service systems in terms of relative effectiveness in reducing alcohol problems among the homeless; o developing and assessing strategies to prevent alcohol abuse/alcoholism among the non-alcoholic homeless and those at imminent risk of becoming homeless; o identifying "routes to treatment" taken by the alcohol troubled homeless. Specifically, what events tend to result in the homeless with alcohol-related problems receiving medical, psychological, and social assistance, and how effectively does the human services network respond in terms of addressing alcohol problems if they are present; o developing methods to follow this population effectively and to obtain valid information to determine long-term effectiveness of alcoholism treatment; o performing cost analyses regarding alcoholism treatment among the homeless; and o surveying the public, the cognizant providers, and the homeless population itself regarding alcoholism treatment service needs, attitudes toward treatment, and beliefs about effectiveness of alcoholism treatment services for the homeless. Where applicable, outcome measures for such studies should include drinking measures as well as economic and social measures. The NIAAA also participates in another research-related program in conjunction with the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is described in a separate program announcement entitled "Research on Services for Persons with Mental Disorders that Co-occur with Alcohol and/or Drug Disorders." Copies are available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. STUDY POPULATIONS SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INCLUSION OF MINORITIES AND WOMEN AS SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH For projects involving human subjects and human materials, ADAMHA/NIH requires applicants to include minorities and both genders in study populations. Racial/ethnic minority and gender differences in human subjects provide valid scientific and public health reasons for requiring that research involving human subjects includes appropriate minority and gender representation. If one gender and/or minorities are excluded or are inadequately represented in this research, a clear compelling rationale for exclusion or inadequate representation must be provided. ADAMHA/NIH will not make awards that do not comply with this policy. Instructions are provided in form PHS 398 (revised 9/91), Section IV.C.4. If the required information is not contained within the application, the application will be deferred until the information is provided. Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in the application conforms to these policies. If there is limited representation, or absence of minority representation or only one gender is represented, AND the scientific justification for the selected study population is inadequate, reviewers will consider this as a scientific weakness or a deficiency in the study design and reflect this in the written review statements and in the assigned priority score. Awardees will report annually on enrollment of subjects, in terms of gender and racial/ethnic group, as required in form PHS 2590 (rev. 9/91), Application for Continuation Grant. Protection of Human Subjects The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has regulations for the protection of human subjects and has developed additional regulations for the protection of children. A copy of these regulations (45 CFR 46, Protection of Human Subjects) and those pertaining specifically to children are available from the Office for Protection from Research Risks, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 496-7041. Specific questions concerning protection of human subjects in research may be directed to the staff member listed under "INQUIRIES". An applicant organization proposing to conduct nonexempt research involving human subjects must file an "Assurance of Compliance" with the Office for Protection from Research Risks. As part of this Assurance, which commits the applicant organization to comply with the DHHS regulations, the applicant organization must appoint an institutional review board (IRB) to review and approve all nonexempt research activities involving human subjects. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applicants are to use the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91). The number and title of this announcement, "Research on the Homeless with Alcohol Problems PA-92-70," must be typed in item number 2a on the face page of the PHS 398 application form. Application kits containing the necessary forms and instructions (PHS 398) may be obtained from business offices or offices of sponsored research at most universities, colleges, medical schools, and other major research facilities. If such a source is not available, the following office may be contacted for the necessary application material: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information P.O. Box 2345 Rockville, MD 20852 Telephone: (301) 468-2600 or 1-800-729-6686 The signed original and five permanent, legible copies of the completed application must be sent or delivered to: Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health Westwood Building, Room 240 Bethesda, MD 20892** REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS The Division of Research Grants, NIH, serves as a central point for receipt of applications for most discretionary PHS grant programs. Applications received under this announcement will be assigned to an Initial Review Group (IRG) in accordance with established PHS Referral Guidelines. The IRGs, consisting primarily of non-Federal scientific and technical experts, will review the applications for scientific and technical merit. Notification of the review recommendations will be sent to the applicant after the initial review. Applications will receive a second-level review by an appropriate National Advisory Council. Only applications recommended by a Council may be considered for funding. Application Receipt and Review Schedule Applications will be accepted and reviewed according to the following schedule: Receipt Dates Initial Advisory Earliest New/Renewal Review Council Review Start Date Jun 1/Jul 1* Oct/Nov Jan/Feb Apr 1 Oct 1/Nov 1* Feb/Mar May/Jun Jul 1 Feb 1/Mar 1* May/Jun Sep/Oct Dec 1 * Competing continuation, supplemental, and revised applications are to be submitted on these dates. Applications received after the above receipt dates are subject to assignment to the next review cycle or may be returned to the investigator without review, if requested by the applicant. Review Criteria Criteria for scientific/technical merit review of applications for research grants (R01) will include the following: o The overall scientific and technical merit and significance of the proposed research. o The appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental design, including the adequacy of the methodology proposed for collection and analysis of data. o The adequacy of the qualifications (including level of education and training) and relevant research experience of the Principal Investigator and key research personnel. o The availability of adequate facilities, general environment for the conduct of proposed research, other resources, and any collaborative arrangements necessary for the research. o The appropriateness of budget estimates for the proposed research activities. o Where applicable, the adequacy of procedures to protect or minimize possible adverse effects on humans, animals, and the environment. o Conformance of the application to the ADAMHA policy on inclusion of women and minorities in study populations. The review criteria for small grants (R03) and the FIRST Awards (R29) are contained in the special announcements that are available from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. AWARD CRITERIA Applications will be considered for funding on the basis of overall scientific and technical merit of the research as determined by peer review, program needs and balance, and availability of funds. INQUIRIES Potential applicants are encouraged to seek preapplication consultation and may contact the individual listed below for consultation in preparing an application under this announcement. In addition, investigators may submit concept papers or outlines of the proposed research to NIAAA staff for review prior to formal grant application submission. Direct inquires to: Fulton Caldwell, Ph.D. Treatment Research Branch Division of Clinical and Prevention Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 14C-20 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-0796 Inquiries relating to fiscal matters may be directed to: Elsie Fleming Grants Management Branch Office of Planning and Resource Management National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Parklawn Building, Room 16-86 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-4703 AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.273. Awards are made under the authority of Sections 301 and 510 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 USC 241 and 290bb), and under the authority of Section 1992 of the PHS Act (42 USC 300X-9a). Federal regulations at 42 CFR Part 52, "Grants for Research Projects," and Title 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92, generic requirements concerning the administration of grants, are applicable to these awards. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. .
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