Session: Innovative Research in Implementation Science from the Next Generation of Prevention Scientists and Methodologists (Society for Prevention Research 22nd Annual Meeting)

The aim of the Pilot and Mentoring arm of the P30 Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology (Ce-PIM) for Drug Abuse and Sexual Risk Behavior, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, is to: 1) facilitate scholarly excellence and productivity of new investigators in implementation science through mentoring and 2) promote the development of new research initiatives by supporting new investigators who are conducting pilot studies to subsequently develop and submit grants to NIH and other federal and private funding agencies.  To this purpose, Ce-PIM solicits pilot study grant applications from early career scientists currently conducting or interested in conducting research in implementation science and/or implementation methodology related to the prevention of drug abuse, sexual risk behavior, and HIV/AIDS. During the first year, two early career investigators were funded to add precision to and increase the fidelity of delivery of two evidenced based prevention programs, the New Beginnings Program and the Family Check Up.  Additionally, two early career investigators were funded to study implementation strategies of two evidence-based HIV/AIDS preventive interventions in two at risk populations: (1) delivery and sustainability of an adaption of the Sister-to-Sister intervention in a church setting for young African American women and (2) SHIELD, a peer led intervention that targets known drug users. Early career investigators funded by Ce-PIM in the areas just described will present preliminary findings from their respective pilot studies. Senior mentors will facilitate a discussion on the importance of implementing evidence-based preventive interventions into community practices with high fidelity, and the importance of studying processes that can facilitate the implementation process.