The Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) is supporting research education and research capacity building via the JCOIN Coordination and Translation Center. The aims for capacity building are:
- To advance the capacity of high impact research for populations involved with the criminal legal and health systems. More specifically, four sub-goals:
-
- To grow the research workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct ethical, rigorous research including partnering with justice and health agencies to conduct rigorous studies, recruitment & enrollment of subjects, use of informed consents, and problem solving in a variety of health, community, and legal settings.
- To enlist an array of community, health, and justice leaders to value and implement research findings in practice and to engage in collaborative research teams on the conduct of research.
- To motivate these learners to champion completion of research projects and fidelity of planned projects given the challenges of day-to-day operations.
- To expand and/or develop a pipeline of independent CJ/Health researchers for the field that can work in multidisciplinary teams.
Application Deadline:
04-15-2026
JCOIN prioritizes recruiting participants who are underrepresented in science, health care, criminology, social work, nursing, and other related disciplines.
LEAP Scholar Track
Clinicians or clinicians-in-training, operational leads, statisticians, Master level students in public health, criminology or research programs or doctoral students in similar disciplines early on in their programs who desire to conduct research as part of their careers but who do not plan to lead externally funded research. Individuals focused on improving outcomes for justice-involved populations with substance use disorders or co-morbid medical/behavioral health conditions are particularly desirable. Involvement in a JCOIN Research Hub is not a requirement.
The program will consist of a one-year research education program commencing in June 2026. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in research knowledge and skill workshops, networking and mentoring. Participants will refine their goals for the program in a supportive setting. Over the ensuing year, there will be webinars and structured online mentoring. Participants will be encouraged to develop a presentation or poster on their chosen work to be disseminated in a peer-reviewed research conference.
Travel, hotel and per diem expenses will be covered to attend conferences. If participants choose to attend the subsequent Academic and Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health, hotel costs and conference registration will also be covered for this event.
Applications are being accepted for the 2026-27 cohort of 10 scholar and 10 investigator participants and must be completed by 04/15/26. Applications will be reviewed by the JCOIN LEAP program leadership team and scored using a detailed rubric. All scoring will be based on the strength of written goals, quality of curriculum vitae/resume as a fit for this program, articulated plan to engage in research as a collaborator, and described motivation to participate in research within the criminal legal and health fields.
LEAP Investigator Track
Individuals who plan to pursue careers in independent investigation should apply for the investigator track. Potential qualified candidates include: students matriculated in research degree program, who are preparing for or engaged in the conduct of research for their dissertation; post-doctoral research fellows; early career investigators; or doctorally prepared clinician-researchers.
The program will consist of a two-year research education program launching in June 2026. Participants will have the opportunity to present and receive feedback on a proposed research project; be matched with an external mentor who is senior in the conduct of independent investigation; gain networking and leadership skills; participate in implicit bias and racism training; hear the insights and pearls of career investigators on challenging decisions made in designing and conducting research with populations supervised in criminal justice settings; and participate in mock NIH scientific reviews. Participants will refine their goals for the program in a supportive setting. Over the ensuing year, participants will have the opportunity to apply for funding to conduct independent research either through the CTC Core or via JRIG grant process of JCOIN.
Travel, hotel and per diem expenses will be covered to meet during two national conferences, the Academic and Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health and the Addictions Health Research Conference. Hotel costs and conference registration will be covered for these events.
Applications are being accepted for the 2026-27 cohort of 10 scholar and 10 investigator participants and must be completed by 04/15/26. Applications will be reviewed by the JCOIN LEAP program leadership team and scored using a detailed rubric. All scoring will be based on the strength of written goals, quality of curriculum vitae/resume as a fit for this program, articulated plan to engage in research as a collaborator, and described motivation to participate in research within the criminal legal and health fields.
Do you have questions or need assistance? Contact us.