NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training (MFT) Award in Substance Use Disorders Science Dissemination

Supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and sponsored by SAEM Foundation

Applications for this grant will be accepted from June 24, 2024 to September 30, 2024

The following provides an overview of the NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training Award. For instructions on applying, please see the section entitle "Award Information, Application, and Selection Process" on this page.

Note: The Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) may also partner with NIDA to offer this award. You may apply to both EMF and SAEMF but applicants are eligible for only one award.

DATES AND DEADLINE INFORMATION

Introduction

Accelerating the dissemination of substance use disorder (SUD) research, particularly opioid use disorder (OUD) research findings and encouraging the implementation of evidence-based practices in health care settings, is a priority for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and represents the core mission of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative (NIDA CTN DI).

The NIDA CTN DI uses collaboration between expert clinicians, clinical researchers, experienced trainers, and NIDA staff to rapidly disseminate research findings from NIDA’s vast scientific portfolio to a variety of collaborators, including policymakers, program administrators, and frontline prevention and treatment providers.

The SAEMF has partnered with NIDA CTN to administer NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training Awards, a key component of the NIDA CTN DI that supports the development of expertise in SUD, especially OUD, among trainees from a variety of disciplines, through the completion of a mentor-supervised project.

The goals of the award are:

1. To promote the dissemination of SUD research findings, thereby improving knowledge and the utilization of evidence-based SUD treatment among health care providers,
2. To facilitate the professional growth and development of future clinician leaders in SUD management.
   The budget consists of up to $10,000 for the awardee stipend and $2,000 for the mentor stipend. Funds may be used for educational and resource materials/courses related to your project and travel to the SAEM Annual Meeting and the NIDA CTN Annual Steering Committee Meeting.
   

Purpose of the Award

The award will:

• Engage the awardee in a one-year mentored experience that provides an opportunity to learn about key areas of SUD and SUD treatment strategies and the effective dissemination of existing research findings. The year-long experience culminates in the completion of an educational/quality improvement/dissemination project that addresses educational or knowledge gaps that the awardee identifies.
• Foster interest in either a clinical career providing evidence-based management of SUD in medical settings or pursuing their own research interests in the field in the future.
  

Awardee projects will be shared at group virtual meetings as well as at the annual NIDA CTN Steering Committee meeting. The awardee is strongly encouraged to develop a manuscript of their project for submission for publication in a peer-reviewed journal after completion of the MFT year.

Mentorship

The mentor should have experience in dissemination and implementation science or clinical treatment and/or research experience in the field of substance use disorders. The mentor is responsible for:

• Providing a letter of support of the awardee, including plans for regular phone or video meetings over the course of the award year;
• Assisting with planning and execution of the awardee’s project;
• Assisting with developing a poster and PowerPoint presentations.
  

Awardees are encouraged to develop a project related to work done by their mentor. A mentor stipend will be provided, as above, and more than one mentor may be proposed.

Applicant Eligibility

The applicant must be enrolled in health care professional training or a trainee in an approved clinical residency or a clinical fellowship training program. Eligible candidates must not have a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research fellowship, an NIH research award, or an NIH career development award. Previous MFT awardees are not eligible to receive another award.

Project Guidelines and Examples

For the Mentor-Facilitated Training Award, NIDA and the SAEMF encourage clinically relevant applications with a focus on treatment of SUDs and the dissemination of research findings of evidence-based practices into clinical settings. To this end, awardees will develop and execute a plan designed to increase their own clinical knowledge of the management of SUD, especially OUD. They will then design and complete a project aimed at the dissemination of existing SUD treatment research findings.

This award cannot be used to conduct basic or clinical research studies or trials. Secondary data analysis of treatment research datasets may be completed in pursuit of award goals, provided the project proposed is eligible for Institutional Review Board (IRB) exemption and displays merit to impact on or increase the adoption of evidence-based practices.

Examples of appropriate activities and projects:

• Identify curriculum training gaps in SUD and choose research findings and/or products developed by NIDA or other professional associations that could bridge such gaps. Disseminate the identified information through a series of lectures, seminars, etc. For example, a previous awardee identified a lack of the use of buprenorphine in Emergency Departments (EDs) and designed a curriculum for ED physicians and nurses that presented evidence-based information on the benefits of starting buprenorphine in the ED across the hospitals for the training program.
• Develop materials that could be used for quality improvement or integration of an evidence-based approach or process in the management of SUD in a medical setting and conduct activities for quality improvement. For example, a previous awardee identified that stigma impacts on the quality of care for persons with substance use disorders. This project included ways that stigma can be addressed using evidence-based materials.
• Analyze de-identified data from completed clinical trials such as those found on the NIDA Data Share website to inform dissemination efforts; characterize the availability of data on substance use or practice patterns; identify gaps in the provision of evidence-based practices; and identify needs for dissemination.
  

Additional examples of recent dissemination projects created by awardees are available on request.

Program Activities and Requirements

MFT Individual Meeting: The awardee and mentor(s) will participate in a virtual meeting to discuss the expectations of the program.

Check-In Meetings: Awardees are required to participate in three virtual group check-in meetings to discuss the progress of their dissemination projects.

Progress and Final Reports: The awardee and mentor(s) are required to submit a 6-month narrative progress report and a final narrative report at the end of the performance period. Failure to provide the report may negatively impact your institution’s ability to apply for future awards. These reports will be submitted to the SAEMF for subsequent submission to NIDA. If the awardee’s project is not completed at the end of the designated performance period, and appropriate approvals to continue have been granted, the final report must still be submitted as an outline of work done and projections for work/expenditures remaining.

Institutional Annual Meeting: Attendance is expected at the SAEM's annual meeting, where the awardees will present a poster abstract of their work following the completion of the award. Award funds may be used to pay for travel and lodging expenses.

NIDA CTN Steering Committee Meeting: The awardee is expected to attend the NIDA CTN Steering Committee Meeting. Mentors are also encouraged to attend. Award funds may be used to pay for travel and lodging expenses.

Publications: Publications will acknowledge the support of NIDA and the SAEMF. All work supported by the NIDA CTN Mentor-Facilitated Training Award should be made available to the public and scientific community through approved scientific channels such as national meetings and peer-reviewed publications. Two reprints of each publication should be forwarded to the SAEMF for subsequent submission to NIDA.

Budget

An FAQ sheet for guidance on the appropriate use of the stipend is found here.

Support Facilities

The applicant must submit letters of support if the proposed project uses facilities not routinely available to or directly under the supervision of the sponsoring institution.

Institutional Support

The applicant assumes responsibility for conducting the project and the mentor for supervising the work and advancing the education of the applicant and associates. The application must show that adequate and appropriately equipped space will be available during the funding period.

Award Administration, Application, and Selection Process

The SAEMF will administer the NIDA CTN Mentor-Facilitated Training Award through planning, on-site coordination, and evaluation of applications. Candidates cannot have previous or simultaneous funding from NIH or research funding sources. Eligible candidates may not have received a previous training award (NIH research fellowship or a NIH research career development award).

Award recipients are selected through a competitive process. Online applications may be submitted through this link: https://ctnmftapplications.org. Review the Detailed Instructions prior to application.

Each application will be reviewed by researchers, program managers and/or clinicians who are involved and informed in dissemination of findings from the field of SUD. Each application will be judged primarily by the likelihood of producing dedicated, qualified clinicians and champions in the field of SUD medicine as indicated by:

1. Qualifications of the Applicant: The applicant's background, experiences, and qualifications.
2. Qualifications of the Mentor: The mentor's expertise, experience, and commitment to supporting the applicant.
3. Merit of the Training Plan and Project: The overall quality and viability of the proposed training plan and project.
4. Budget Adequacy: The capacity to meet the objectives outlined in the application.
5. Institutional Support: The commitment and willingness of the applicant's institution to provide facilities and support to complete the project as described.

As of June 2024