10-Year Strategic Plan

Define the NHSN image as a cutting-edge, leadership organization contributing in many fields.
- Recruit prestigious National Steering Committee members.
- Disseminate the Drug and Alcohol Dependence special issue.
- Enhance our level of visibility in research.
- Promote NHSN sponsored publications created by issue-specific work groups. Promotion and coordination of outstanding scholarship will create additional visibility.
- Communicate and market the contributions and accomplishments of Network Members.
- Post member publications on NHSN website.
- Launch new NHSN newsletter and website with more substantive content that meets NHSN strategic goals.
- Create a Publicity and Communications Subcommittee.
- Involve national leaders in addition to the NIH (e.g., ONDCP; U.S. Surgeon General).
- Hold Congressional briefings: Scientists talking to policy makers.
- Reach out to Congressional Hispanic Caucus and beyond (e.g., relevant committees; senators and representatives from states with large Hispanic populations.

Develop a strong presence in well-established scientific meetings.
- Identify members who are going to attend U.S. and international scientific meetings to explore if a panel can be organized under NHSN aegis; these could be organized by the specialized work groups.
- Encourage NHSN members to identify themselves in terms of their NHSN affiliation when presenting (print material or speaker introduction).

Create specialized, in-depth tracks and focused work groups.
- Identify critical scientific issues in Hispanic drug abuse research.
- Develop interdisciplinary work groups focusing on specific Hispanic drug abuse issues to encourage scientific collaboration; include international participants.
- Charge work groups with developing products to jump-start research, stimulate further research and/or foster the next generation of research; e.g., publications; special journal issues; multi-site studies; coordinated, interdisciplinary research collaborations; training programs.
- Generate research using NHSN as a platform.

Develop focused conference tracks and/or satellite meetings.
- Develop focused conference tracks within the annual conference, or hold smaller meetings focused on specific drug abuse research issues (could also be a pre-conference or a post-conference activity).
- Develop specialized seminars or roundtables within the annual conference.
- Offer continuing education seminars.
- Pursue 5-year conference grants specific to a topic area or covering a different substantive topic each year.

Build on the success of the Summer Research Training Institute in Hispanic Drug Abuse.
- Pursue funds to implement a more advanced curriculum, moving toward more specific, specialized topics presented in greater depth.
- Develop substantive conference activities for Institute Fellows and other trainees, including specialized breakout training sessions and professional survival skills workshops.

Pursue training and mentoring grants.
- NHSN’s greatest impact in advancing science has been in bringing Hispanic and non-Hispanic scientists together to work across disciplines. Both formal and informal collaborations have emerged. Continue to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration to speed the rate of scientific discovery in Hispanic drug abuse.
- Develop an integrated national initiative to train and mentor tomorrow’s researchers in the field of Hispanic drug abuse.
- Infuse trainees with an interdisciplinary vision and approach to research (Research Teams of the Future model). Train students to conduct tomorrow’s research.
- Target NIH and foundation funding to develop national training and mentoring programs.
- Create a national interdisciplinary team of senior mentors who can support these training and mentoring activities.

Identify and mentor early and mid-career scientists for future Steering Committee membership and/or other NHSN leadership roles.
- Identify scholars with the following attributes to mentor for Steering Committee leadership:
  - Potential to elevate the level of distinction of the Steering Committee.
  - Potential for scientific leadership.
  - Passion to succeed as scientists.
  - Presentation and communication skills.
  - Commitment to the NHSN’s priorities.
  - Commitment to NHSN as an organization.
  - Active in NHSN activities.
- Rotate Chairing of Subcommittees to non-Steering NHSN members. Bring in visiting members to lead work groups and report to the Steering Committee.
- Integrate new, non-Steering NHSN members into the Subcommittees.
- Provide new opportunities for members to participate in different aspects of the NHSN.
- Acknowledge and recognize the contributions of next-generation leaders.
- Foster relationship with NHSN that members view as part of their professional identity.
- Consider both scientific contributions and organizational leadership in implementing NHSN activities.

Create Alumni Association for Summer Research Training Institute Fellows.
- Goal of the National Alumni Association is to bring Fellows together, to further their training and mentoring, and to identify and develop emerging leaders.

Explore additional strategies for developing future NHSN leadership.
- Encourage senior scientists to become more involved in the NIDA review process.

Identify knowledge to be disseminated.
- Through a consensus building process, determine what information should be disseminated on behalf of the organization.
Explore relationships with advocacy or public interest organizations that have dissemination mechanisms in place.
Identify opportunities for NHSN experts to share knowledge and to learn from practice and policy groups.
- Organize community meetings around the National Strategic Plan; hold meetings in districts with Hispanic Congressional representatives. Document and build on input from community members.

Create a Latin American drug abuse research network that builds on existing international research infrastructures and resources and maximizes human capital.
Create an ongoing dialogue and collaboration between US-based and international researchers.