Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AT 18 002
The grant opportunity titled "Behavioral Interventions for Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder or Adjunct to Medication Assisted Treatment - SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AT-18-002) is a discretionary NIH grant focused on testing how well specific behavioral interventions work when they are implemented as part of a state’s strategy for using SAMHSA State Targeted Response (STR) opioid grant funds. Those STR funds were authorized under the 21st Century Cures Act, and the central idea behind this announcement is to generate practical, evidence-based findings that can directly inform how states design, deliver, and refine opioid-related prevention and treatment services in real-world settings.
The research emphasis is on behavioral interventions that can either prevent opioid use disorder (OUD) before it starts (primary prevention), reduce escalation or relapse among people already at risk (secondary prevention), or strengthen outcomes when paired with medication assisted treatment (MAT) for people who already have OUD. The FOA explicitly encourages studies examining approaches such as mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and multidisciplinary rehabilitation, but it is not limited to those examples as long as the intervention fits the behavioral focus and is tested within the context of state STR-funded activities. A particularly high-interest area is addressing the overlap between OUD and chronic pain, reflecting how frequently these conditions co-occur and how pain management needs can complicate OUD prevention and treatment. In practice, that means proposals that integrate behavioral pain management strategies with OUD prevention or MAT support, or that specifically target patients navigating both chronic pain and opioid-related risk, align well with the stated priorities.
The mechanism is R21/R33, which generally signals a phased award structure: an initial exploratory or developmental phase (R21) followed by a second phase (R33) intended to support expansion or continuation if predefined milestones are met. In this FOA’s context, that structure fits studies that may start with early feasibility, adaptation, pilot testing, or implementation planning inside state systems, and then move into a more robust evaluation once early targets are achieved. The activity category is health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.213. The posting identifies NIH as the agency and indicates an original closing date of January 18, 2018, with a creation date of November 16, 2017. An award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided details.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations that could realistically partner with state STR efforts. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly limits foreign participation: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. In other words, the work must be fully domestic in terms of applicant organization and project components.
Overall, this opportunity is aimed at building actionable evidence about behavioral strategies that can be embedded into state-led opioid response infrastructures funded through SAMHSA STR. The strongest fit is research that is closely tied to how states are already planning or deploying STR resources, and that can produce outcomes relevant to policy and service delivery decisions, especially in areas where OUD and chronic pain intersect and where behavioral care can either reduce OUD risk or improve MAT engagement and effectiveness.Apply for RFA AT 18 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Behavioral Interventions for Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder or Adjunct to Medication Assisted Treatment-SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the full title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Behavioral Interventions for Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder or Adjunct to Medication Assisted Treatment - SAMHSA Opioid STR Grants (R21/R33)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-AT-18-002.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The posting identifies NIH as the agency for this discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to test how well specific behavioral interventions work when implemented as part of a state's strategy for using SAMHSA State Targeted Response (STR) opioid grant funds, with an emphasis on generating practical, evidence-based findings that can inform how states design, deliver, and refine real-world opioid-related prevention and treatment services.
How does this FOA relate to SAMHSA State Targeted Response (STR) opioid grants?
The research is expected to be conducted within the context of state STR-funded activities. The core idea is to produce evidence that directly informs state-led opioid response infrastructure and decisions supported by STR funds.
What law authorized the STR funds referenced in this announcement?
The STR funds were authorized under the 21st Century Cures Act.
What types of interventions are being studied under this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes behavioral interventions, including those aimed at preventing opioid use disorder (OUD) and those used as an adjunct to medication assisted treatment (MAT). The focus is on testing behavioral strategies embedded in state STR efforts.
What prevention stages does the FOA support (primary vs. secondary prevention)?
The FOA supports behavioral interventions for primary prevention (preventing OUD before it starts) and secondary prevention (reducing escalation or relapse among people already at risk), as well as behavioral strategies that strengthen outcomes when paired with MAT for individuals who already have OUD.
Does the FOA support behavioral interventions used alongside medication assisted treatment (MAT)?
Yes. A central emphasis is on behavioral interventions that can improve outcomes when used as an adjunct to MAT for people who already have OUD.
Are there specific behavioral approaches that the FOA encourages?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages studies examining approaches such as mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and multidisciplinary rehabilitation, while not limiting applicants only to those examples as long as the intervention is behavioral and tested within state STR-funded activities.
Is the FOA limited to mindfulness, CBT, or multidisciplinary rehabilitation?
No. Those approaches are highlighted as encouraged examples, but other behavioral interventions may be proposed if they fit the behavioral focus and are tested in the context of state STR-funded activities.
What population or service context is the FOA most interested in?
The FOA is aimed at real-world settings where states are planning or deploying STR resources, with research designed to yield outcomes relevant to policy and service delivery decisions.
Why is chronic pain mentioned as a high-interest area?
The FOA identifies the overlap between OUD and chronic pain as a particularly high-interest area, reflecting how frequently these conditions co-occur and how pain management needs can complicate OUD prevention and treatment.
What kinds of chronic pain and OUD-related proposals align with the stated priorities?
Proposals that integrate behavioral pain management strategies with OUD prevention or MAT support, or that specifically target patients navigating both chronic pain and opioid-related risk, align well with the stated priorities.
What does the R21/R33 mechanism mean in this FOA?
R21/R33 generally indicates a phased award structure: an initial exploratory or developmental phase (R21), followed by a second phase (R33) intended to support expansion or continuation if predefined milestones are met. In this FOA, that structure fits work that begins with feasibility, adaptation, pilot testing, or implementation planning inside state systems and then moves into more robust evaluation if early targets are achieved.
What kinds of activities are expected in the R21 phase?
Based on the FOA description, the R21 phase may include early feasibility work, intervention adaptation, pilot testing, and/or implementation planning within state systems connected to STR-funded activities.
What triggers progression from the R21 phase to the R33 phase?
Progression is intended to occur if predefined milestones are met, consistent with the phased R21/R33 structure described in the FOA.
What kinds of activities are expected in the R33 phase?
The R33 phase is intended to support expansion or continuation, such as a more robust evaluation of the behavioral intervention in the state STR context, once early milestones from the R21 phase are achieved.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is health.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.213.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The creation date is November 16, 2017, and the original closing date is January 18, 2018.
Is the award ceiling specified?
No. The provided details do not specify an award ceiling.
Is the expected number of awards specified?
No. The provided details do not specify the expected number of awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations, including state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes U.S. territories or possessions among the additional eligible applicant types.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA specifically calls out faith-based or community-based organizations as eligible applicant types.
Are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions eligible?
Yes. The FOA calls out several categories as eligible, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI).
Are small businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. Small businesses are included in the eligible applicant types listed.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are included among eligible applicants, and small businesses are also explicitly eligible.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes eligible federal agencies among the additional eligible applicant types.
Can foreign organizations or non-U.S. institutions apply?
No. The FOA states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-domestic component in the project?
No. The FOA indicates that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are any foreign components allowed under this FOA?
No. The FOA states that foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.
Does the FOA imply that projects must be fully domestic?
Yes. The FOA makes clear that the applicant organization must be domestic and that project components must not include non-domestic or foreign components.
What is the key theme that makes an application a strong fit for this opportunity?
A strong fit is research that is closely tied to how states are already planning or deploying STR resources and that generates actionable evidence to inform policy and service delivery decisions in real-world opioid prevention and treatment settings, especially where OUD and chronic pain intersect and behavioral care can reduce OUD risk or improve MAT engagement and effectiveness.
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