Congressman Price Highlights DOJ and NIH Federal Grants for RTI International

Press Release

Today, Congressman David Price (NC-04) announced several Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) federal research grants awarded to RTI International located in Raleigh's Research Triangle park. Researchers will utilize these awards to research and evaluate a range of important issues including labor trafficking, service models for victims of crime, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, and disparities in incidence of COVID-19 among communities of color.

"RTI International and their experts and scientists provide a wealth of quality, impactful research that improves lives not only in North Carolina, but across the country and around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has had disastrous effects on our country causing approximately 200,000 deaths nationwide, and its impacts have been particularly profound among communities of color. I am proud to announce that the NIH will award RTI substantial funding to study and address these disparities," said Representative Price. "Additionally, we must not lose sight of persistent societal problems such as labor trafficking and sexual violence that persist in our communities even as we grapple with a pandemic. The DOJ awards will fund important research to inform future prevention and response efforts. As the sole member of the Appropriations Committee from North Carolina, I am proud to have advocated for the federal funding that supports these grants."

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and renewed national focus on issues of justice, people need to hear familiar, trusted voices they know are advocating for their health and safety. For 61 years, RTI International has made improving the human condition the mission of our Institute," said Dr. E. Wayne Holden, President and CEO of RTI International. "This work with NIH and DOJ will influence and illuminate the most critical issues facing our world, our country and our state in 2020 and decades after. We are looking forward to being part of this important work."

The NIH has awarded RTI International $12 million in funds for the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities project in eleven states. Researchers will focus on COVID-19 outreach and engagement efforts among racial and ethnic minority populations, while also facilitating inclusion of these groups in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

The DOJ has awarded RTI International funding for nine different projects, allowing them to evaluate and provide recommendations related to: labor trafficking, delivery models of crime victims service, trends in crime reporting and in crime incidence in immigrant communities, pretrial release decision-making, sexual violence in prisons, crime reporting, data collection and analysis of community supervision populations, and female genital mutilation.

A full list of awards can be found below:

Project Title

Amount

FY20 Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons

$ 583,465

FY20 Research and Evaluation of Victims of Crime (delivery models of crime victims service)

$ 695,719

National Victimization Statistical Support Program

$ 699,970

FY20 Research and Evaluation of Victims of Crime (victims services programming)

$ 804,300

FY20 Research into Immigration and Crime

$ 899,954

National Inmate Survey - Prisons

$ 999,795

FY 2020 Addressing Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting

$ 1,199,707

National Pretrial Reporting Program (NPRP)

$ 2,000,000

Annual Survey of Probation and Parole

$ 2,749,987

NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities

$12,000,000

Source