NWIC-AWIRE Administrative Core The purpose of the Northwest Indian College-American Indian Wellness through Research Engagement (NWIC-AIWRE) Center for Health) Administrative Core (AC) is to: (1) provide leadership, support and vision for the three projects comprising the NWIC-AIWRE NARCH application; (2) facilitate active involvement in and direction of NARCH activities by AIAN communities consistent with our commitment to a model of working within tribally engaged and controlled and community-based leadership models and; (3) coordinate contact with the NIH project officer/grants management and maintain compliance in administrative and fiscal reporting. The AC will maintain effective two-way communications across various stakeholder groups to ensure that the projects are engaging tribal communities in ways that maximize tribal control of data and outcomes and that research goals and findings are congruent with the priorities and needs of the communities. The AC will actively engage representatives from each of the communities that the NWIC and the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board serve to ensure that the research supported by NWIC-AIWRE recognizes and bolsters community wellness and effectively communicates research findings back to tribal leaders, community members and policy makers so that the research findings can be translated more readily and effectively into practice. By providing community-based leadership and control of the proposed projects aimed at reducing health disparities the NWIC-AIWRE AC plays a critically important role in developing a solid foundation for establishing tribally controlled research aimed at reducing health disparities and to a broader and sustainable regional initiative in the Pacific Northwest to position AIAN tribes as leaders in wellness and resilience research. To accomplish these goals the AC will build on the strengths of already established networks of partners in the local tribal communities and the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board as well as newly developed partnerships with research intensive institutions that have strong histories of conducting AIAN- focused research to accomplish the following specific aims (SA). SA1. Provide tribally engaged and controlled research support through the establishment of a tribal data and safety oversight position. SA2. Provide administrative, fiscal and data support for the student researcher careers enhancement project and two research projects. SA3. Coordinate community and scientific expert advisory support for the student researcher careers enhancement project and two research projects. SA4. Coordinate research support and mentorship opportunities from NWIC?s primary research-intensive partner, the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
