HEAL Initiative: Prevention and Management of Chronic Pain in Rural Populations (UG3/UH3, Clinical Trials Required)

Contacts by research area

The HEAL Initiative provides funding for research on non-opioid interventions for chronic pain management in rural and remote populations.

Examples of interventions and settings include but are not limited to:

• Interventions in rural and/or remote health care settings, including primary care and other traditional and non-traditional healthcare settings where pain management disparities are well documented
• Interventions that address a gap in access to non-opioid pain management for rural and/or remote populations (such as mobile interventions, telehealth options, delivery of select services in community settings, non-opioid medications, and brief training followed by self-care)
• Non-opioid pain interventions including but not limited to non-opioid medications, self-care or self-management techniques, non-pharmacologic treatments, physical therapy, and/or training in interventions followed by home practice
• Interventions that address equity in decision-making for pain assessment, management, and follow up
• Evidence-based interventions for effective practices for chronic pain management that have not been implemented or tested in rural or remote populations either on their own or in combination with other tested interventions or novel interventions with evidence of efficacy

Eligible applicants include:

• Higher education institutions
  • Public/state controlled institutions
  • Private institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
  • With 501(c)(3) status
  • Without 501(c)(3) status
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • Faith-based or community-based organizations
  • Regional organizations
• Governments
  • State
  • County
  • City or township
  • Special districts
  • Federally recognized Indian/Native American tribal governments
  • Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Eligible agencies of the federal government
  • U.S. territory or possession
• Other
  • Independent school districts
  • Public housing authorities
  • Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations

Award ceiling: $500,000/year for UG3 phase and $1,000,000/year for UH3
Project period: Up to 5 years
Estimated number of awards: 5-6
Estimated total program funding: $5,700,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of intent to Martina Schmidt, Ph.D. by October 22, 2022.