The overall objective of this project is to build research capacity within a specific Indian tribal entity and to design a specific research project that will lead to the reduction of alcohol related problems within that tribe. This is to be accomplished in two Stages Stage I: Community Contact: 1. An initial contact must be made with an individual within a pertinent tribal agency (e.g. tribal alcohol treatment program). 2. Discussions will be held with the tribal contact and a small group of interested others. 3. The local contacts will approach other tribal agencies to solicit interest and investment in the project. 4. At the appropriate point the issue of forming a collaborative research team will be brought to the tribal council for their endorsement. 5. Training of trainers: Two trainers will be selected from University of New Mexico faculty, and provided with in-depth training in Community Readiness Training by Tri-Ethnic Center. Stage II: Development and Implementation of the Pilot Project (Subject to approval and modification by the Gila River tribes). 1. A community team will be formed in cooperation with tribal leaders. 2. The community team will be provided with Community Readiness Training by the trainers from the University of New Mexico, supervised by Tri-Ethnic Center faculty. 3. The community team will explore, with the trainers, the nature of policy, and the list of alcohol related policies. They will identify the purposes of different types of policies and identify policy areas that are relevant to their tribe. 4. The community team will select a specific policy area, and adapt and create possible policy changes that should occur in that area. 5. The community team will assess community readiness for those policy changes and develop specific plans for moving the community to the next stage of readiness and on from there to policy implementation.
