As part of the ongoing clinical research project, Kipiyecipakiciipe “Coming home,” Dr. Evan White, Principal Investigator at Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR), and Dr. Deborah Jones-Saumty will be conducting a community readiness assessment regarding substance use intervention and prevention programming. The goal of the readiness assessment, or CRA, is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Shawnee tribal community’s current perspectives on substance use challenges and potential solutions, including the currently available resources.

“Community readiness assessment ensures that the potential solution-focused programming will not only belong to the Shawnee Tribe community but also be grounded in the community perspectives and integrate well with current efforts,” said Dr. White.

Community guidance is central to the Kipiyecipakiciipe research project, which seeks to use modern clinical neuroscience to investigate how involvement in traditional Shawnee ways of life impacts the brain and might promote substance use recovery or prevention.

“The overall project also includes a brain scanning protocol at LIBR that will provide a foundation of translational neuroscience data to support future substance use intervention and prevention programs,” continued Dr. White. “Therefore, the CRA and MRI protocols that make up Phase 2 of this project happening in parallel can both inform Phase 3, which will explore how the information gained to that point applies for individuals impacted by substance use disorders.”

The community readiness assessment will also provide helpful information to guide future resource development and include capacity-building training for Shawnee Tribe staff, including the behavioral health team.

“It is a privilege to be able to work with Dr. White and his team,” said Tauna Warner, Shawnee Tribe’s director of behavioral health & victim services. “We are anticipating that findings from this study will enhance our capabilities of working with Shawnee citizens.”

More information about the community readiness assessment and future updates about Kipiyecipakiciipe’s “Coming home” will be communicated through the tribe’s news channels. Inquiries may be directed to Danielle Bethel, LIBR research coordinator, at dbethel@libr.org.

Acknowledgement of NIH award support:

This project supported by the National Institute On Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number DP1DA058986 (PI: White). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.