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.

Grant Number: 1OT2DA061143-01
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Charene Alexander