Primary Care-Based Screening Tool and Intervention Development for the Detection and Prevention of Abuse and Neglect in Older and Vulnerable Adults With, or at Risk for, Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD/ADRD (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA AG 24 048

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 24 048

This funding opportunity, RFA-AG-24-048, is a discretionary NIH grant designed to move the field toward practical, evidence-based ways for primary care settings to detect, prevent, and respond to abuse and neglect affecting older and other vulnerable adults who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer`s disease (AD), or Alzheimer`s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD), as well as people who are at risk for these conditions. The central idea is that primary care is often the most consistent point of contact for patients and families, yet clinicians frequently lack validated tools and workflow-ready interventions to identify abuse early and reduce harm. The NOFO supports research aimed at developing primary care-based screening tools and behavioral interventions that can be used in real-world clinical environments to prevent abuse and neglect and improve safety for patients and families.

The award mechanism is the R61/R33 phased innovation model, and a clinical trial is required. In general terms, this structure supports a two-stage pathway: an initial, milestone-driven phase focused on early development and feasibility work (R61), followed by a second phase intended for more rigorous testing and refinement once predefined milestones are met (R33). For applicants, this typically means proposing a clear development-to-evaluation plan that starts with creating or adapting a screening approach and an intervention strategy, then progressing to testing them in a way that demonstrates whether they are feasible, acceptable, and positioned to be effective in primary care practice. Because the NOFO is explicitly centered on screening and behavioral intervention development, competitive projects usually emphasize implementation realities like time constraints in clinics, staff training needs, referral pathways, patient privacy, caregiver involvement, and coordination with social services and protective systems.

The research focus is specifically tied to abuse and neglect risk in the context of cognitive impairment and dementia. People with MCI or AD/ADRD can face heightened vulnerability due to changes in memory, judgment, communication, dependence on caregivers, and social isolation. Projects under this NOFO are therefore expected to grapple with complexities such as identifying abuse when the patient has limited ability to report, distinguishing neglect from disease-related functional decline, recognizing caregiver stress and burden as a contributor to risk, and designing interventions that protect patient autonomy while addressing safety. The opportunity also highlights the family context, signaling interest in approaches that consider caregivers and family systems, not only the patient, when designing screening workflows and prevention strategies.

The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the activity category is health research under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 93.866. The original closing date listed is 2023-10-20, and the NOFO was created on 2023-07-05. The source information does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget guidance, project period limits, and any institute-specific constraints.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations: state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. In addition, the NOFO explicitly calls out several additional eligible applicant groups and settings, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); eligible federal agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). That range suggests an interest in solutions that can be tested across diverse populations, geographies, and health system contexts, including communities that are often underserved or disproportionately affected by barriers to care and protection services.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at producing concrete, primary care-ready products: screening tools that clinicians and care teams can reliably use to detect potential abuse and neglect in cognitively vulnerable adults, and behavioral interventions that can be delivered or coordinated through primary care to reduce risk and prevent harm. A strong project concept under this NOFO would typically connect the clinical reality of primary care to measurable outcomes, define clear milestones for moving from tool/intervention development into clinical testing, and build in pathways for what happens after a positive screen (for example, safety planning, caregiver support, referral coordination, and follow-up), while accounting for legal, ethical, and cultural considerations that arise when abuse is suspected in patients with cognitive impairment.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Primary Care-Based Screening Tool and Intervention Development for the Detection and Prevention of Abuse and Neglect in Older and Vulnerable Adults With, or at Risk for, Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD/ADRD (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-07-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-10-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA AG 24 048

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: