Lessons Shared: Implementation of a Randomized Clinical Trial for Alcohol Use Disorders with Five American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

This paper examines how five Tribal communities and an academic institution developed the Helping Our Native Ongoing Recovery Project. The goal of this study was to conduct a large randomized controlled trial using contingency management as an intervention for alcohol use disorders among 400 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. Using a community-engaged approach, including tenants of community-based participatory research and the Quality Implementation Framework, close collaboration between Tribal community and academic partners was essential to the research design and implementation. The process described has enhanced trust, positive relationships, and the successful cultural adaptation and implementation of the contingency management intervention with two of the five partnering communities. This work may provide insight for dissemination and implementation science among AI/AN communities and a process template for researchers who want to partner with Tribal communities to positively impact health outcomes.