Clinical Practice Research Institute (CPRI)

The Clinical Practice Research Institute (CPRI) is part of part of ASHA's Academic & Research Mentoring (ARM) Network. Each ARM Network program serves a distinct role in fostering the development of researchers in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) at different career stages.

Purpose

CPRI supports the planning and preparation of a U.S. federal research grant proposal that focuses on clinical practice research in CSD. CPRI welcomes researchers who are new to clinical practice research as well as experienced clinical researchers who are ready to scale up their clinical investigations.

The program provides two forms of support:

• Help to identify any consultants needed (e.g., appropriate methodology or funding mechanism)
• Allocation of funds to support a grant planning and preparation meeting with collaborators and/or consultants

The goal of participation in CPRI is to complete and submit a U.S. federal research grant proposal within 12 months of the grant planning meeting.

Clinical Practice Research and its Importance

Clinical practice research specifically addresses issues concerned with methods and approaches used in service delivery and their outcomes. It is distinct from research aimed primarily at understanding the mechanisms underlying normal processing or disorders. Specifically, clinical practice research includes areas such as epidemiology, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, outcomes measurement, knowledge translation, and implementation science.

Clinical practice research is needed to support evidence-based practice in CSD. The discipline has a critical need for an expanded and strengthened evidence base to (a) inform federal and state regulatory policies and administrative decisions about funding services for those with communication disorders and (b) advance clinical practice. The purpose of CPRI is to accelerate the generation of this needed research.

ASHA's strategic objectives recognize the pressing need to advance both implementation science and interprofessional education and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPE/IPP) in CSD. CPRI applications that focus on one or both of these areas are particularly encouraged.

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Hold a research doctoral degree (e.g., PhD or equivalent) 
• Have secured extramural research funding, not including loan repayment awards, scholarships, personnel preparation grants, or community service grants
• Have applied for U.S. federal research funding (e.g., a research grant such as an R03, R21, or R01; a fellowship; or a career development award), not including loan repayment awards, scholarships, personnel preparation grants, or community service grants
• Be eligible to apply as the principal investigator (PI) or co-principal investigator (co-PI) for research funds from a U.S. federal agency

To be eligible, the grant submitted with the CPRI application must focus on a topic relevant to epidemiology, prevention, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, outcomes measurement, knowledge translation, and/or implementation science through single-subject experimental designs as well as large clinical trials.

Awardees must be ASHA members prior to CPRI fund distribution.

Researchers who have not yet secured extramural research funding or have not yet applied for federal research funding might be eligible for ASHA's Pathways or Lessons for Success programs.

View past participants of CPRI.

Format

There is no set location or date of participation. If selected, ASHA will help support your grant planning and preparation in the following ways:

• Identify any needed consultants who would not be on your grant but who could help you develop your proposal by providing expertise in appropriate methodology or funding mechanisms.
• Develop and fund an appropriate budget for a grant preparation meeting that can include travel, hotel, and meals for the attendees, in accordance with the ASHA travel policy.

Each participant is expected to submit a U.S. federal research grant proposal within 12 months of participation.

How to Apply

PIs or co-PIs can apply. Co-PIs apply jointly by submitting all materials in one application.

The application period is open April through June. Applicants must complete an online application form, upload several PDF documents, and submit the entire package by the established deadline. See the application instructions for complete details and specific deadlines.

If you have any questions, please contact ASHA's Academic Affairs and Research Education team at research@asha.org.