Indiana University and the Regenstrief institute began a five-year $50 million initiative called Addictions Crisis Grand Challenge to tackle apply scientific research and community engagement to the state’s addiction problem.

Phase One will be to develop preventive assessment tools, treatment center capacity building and the creation of online education centers for healthcare professionals. The work spans scientific research, programmatic development and implementation, and community engagement.

The project includes building the Indiana Addictions Data Commons to ensure that healthcare systems, law enforcement and public health professionals have access to a single source of data about the opioid addictions crisis.

"We can't solve this crisis without having a constant and reliable finger on its pulse," said Peter Embi, MD, president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute. "By working with our partners to aggregate the relevant clinical and community-level data and enable access via a comprehensive research hub, the Indiana Addictions Data Commons will provide insights to better understand and address this epidemic for all Hoosiers."

The 16 projects include five focus areas of the statewide initiative: ground-level data collection and analysis; training and education; policy analysis and development; addictions science; and community and workforce development.

They are designed to move Indiana closer to achieving the goals of the effort to battle the epidemic statewide, Robin Newhouse, dean and distinguished professor of the Indiana University School of Nursing, said in a statement.

IU is also partnering with community hospital systems, public health departments, workforce development organizations, healthcare research institutes and other collaborators.

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