The "HEAL Initiative: JCOIN Phase II Innovation Hubs" funding opportunity by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) supports research on innovative interventions for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) within the criminal-legal system. Targeting critical transition points in justice settings, this opportunity focuses on expanding effective intervention models and implementing novel approaches to address complex needs, including overdose risks, among justice-involved individuals. As part of the broader NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, the Justice Community Overdose Innovation Network (JCOIN) aims to improve treatment access and outcomes for justice-involved individuals by coordinating research across multiple points of interaction between the criminal justice system and community healthcare.

The JCOIN Phase II initiative is structured around a network of research centers, including Clinical Research Hubs for large-scale studies and Innovation Hubs for smaller, pioneering studies supported by resource centers for data, community engagement, and economic analysis. This specific NOFO calls for applications from Innovation Hubs that can advance new models of care in under-studied populations or settings, such as rural areas, juvenile justice, or for individuals with additional health or social needs. Studies should use frameworks like the SUD or behavioral health cascades, addressing outcomes such as treatment engagement, overdose rates, and recidivism. This NOFO emphasizes inclusivity and requires applicants to submit a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which will be reviewed for how well it enhances the scientific and technical quality of the proposed work.

Projects eligible for this funding should focus on testing and scaling interventions for SUD within diverse justice settings, potentially including jails, prisons, drug courts, and community corrections, with collaborations between justice and community-based health providers. NIDA encourages applicants to propose projects that explore co-occurring mental and physical health issues, multi-substance use, social determinants of health, and trauma-informed care. Proposals should also include stakeholder engagement and dissemination plans that detail partnerships with justice and health providers and ways to incorporate the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences in the justice and healthcare systems.

Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profits, local and tribal governments, and other organizations based in the U.S. Each proposal must involve senior collaborators from justice settings and community-based treatment providers, with letters of support confirming these partnerships. The project period is up to five years, and awards are limited to a total of $2.25 million in direct costs, with annual limits of $450,000. Applications must comply with NIH policies on registration and data management, particularly those aligned with HEAL data-sharing requirements.

Submissions must follow NIH's application guidelines, including a detailed research strategy that outlines how the project will innovate within the SUD intervention field, details on study sites, participant engagement, and long-term impact plans for sustainability. NIDA emphasizes the importance of economic evaluations for the proposed interventions, and funded projects are expected to collaborate with JCOIN’s Economic Research Resource Center on these aspects. Monthly virtual steering committee meetings, an annual HEAL Investigators Meeting, and participation in data harmonization efforts are required.

Applications are due by January 22, 2025, and must be submitted via Grants.gov, with no late submissions accepted. A letter of intent is encouraged but not required. Applicants are also encouraged to attend a pre-application webinar on July 25, 2024. Each application will be evaluated on its scientific merit, innovation, approach, potential impact, and adherence to the PEDP. Final award decisions will consider scientific merit, relevance to HEAL priorities, and the availability of funds, with initial awards anticipated in September 2025.