Join the HEAL Connections Lived Experience Panel

Welcome! We are proud to be working with the NIH HEAL Initiative and HEAL Connections to invite people who have firsthand experience as a person with a pain condition and/or with recovery from opioid use disorder to join a Lived Experience Panel.

The goal of the Panel is to center the voices of people with lived experience in the work of the HEAL Initiative, partnering with people who can effectively speak to the priorities and needs of their communities.

To learn more about the HEAL Initiative and HEAL Connections, see below.

The research being conducted as part of the HEAL Initiative is broad in scope and focuses both on pain and opioid use disorder. The Lived Experience Panel is therefore recruiting a broad range of individuals, including those with pain conditions (regardless of whether they have utilized opioid medication to manage pain) and people in recovery from opioid use disorder (regardless of whether they also have a pain condition).

Meet the Current Panel Members

As a Lived Experience Panel member, you will:

Participate in a virtual orientation (with Q&A) and 2-4 virtual meetings per year and review materials in between these meetings – see more details under Frequently Asked Questions below
Provide input on studies related to pain, opioid use disorder, and the intersection of those issues (where relevant to you and/or your community)
Help to identify ways to share, distribute, and implement research findings and strategies related to the current opioid and/or pain management crises within your community
Provide feedback on how your community prefers to learn about new research findings

Provide input into priorities and gaps for your community
Share your unique experiences and perspectives (lived experience) on emerging trends, priorities, and challenges in the coming years
Offer perspectives to the HEAL Connections team on how best to engage other people with lived experience in research
Receive compensation for your service on the Panel – see more information under Frequently Asked Questions below

The skills and experiences needed to join the Lived Experience Panel

No specific educational or professional background is required; all training will be provided. We want to include Panel members from a range of backgrounds, regions, education levels, and perspectives. No previous Panel or committee experience is required.
Access to phone or internet technology to participate in virtual activities (i.e., Zoom calls)
Enthusiasm for participating in the Lived Experience Panel and sharing your perspective
Meet criteria for at least one Subpanel – see descriptions of Subpanels above
Speak and understand spoken English
Because the Panel members' well-being and recovery are of primary importance, we ask that members with lived experience in recovery from opioid use disorder have a minimum of one year in recovery and that all Panel members have solid supports in place before joining the Panel.
We want to effectively address the needs of various communities, especially communities that have previously been overlooked in research. We are seeking panel members from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

For Panel members in recovery, we are also working to create Subpanels with members who have a variety of experiences with substance use and recovery, including experience with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), recovery support services, injection drug use, polysubstance use (using multiple different substances), harm reduction approaches, and abstinence-based recovery.

For Panel members with a pain condition, we are working to create Subpanels with members who have a variety of experiences covering a wide range of pain conditions (for example, chronic, acute, auto-immune-related, or others).

Lived Experience Panel is Currently Full

Thank you for your interest in joining the Lived Experience Panel! While the Panel is currently full, Panel seats periodically open. If you are interested in learning more about the Panel, please inquire via the "contact us" form below.

About HEAL Connections

Research results need to benefit people living with pain, addiction, and other co-occurring conditions but too often are not shared with people working outside of universities. HEAL Connections believes that lived experience expertise has been missing from research conversations. We want to partner with impacted communities to speed research into action by communicating research findings in ways that everyone can understand. Learn more here.

HEAL Connections is a center that is jointly run by Duke Clinical Research, George Mason University, and other partners. It is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®. HEAL Connections is aimed at supporting widespread dissemination and implementation of HEAL-funded research. HEAL Connections is funded by the NIH HEAL Initiative under OTA numbers: 1OT20D034479 and 1OT2OD034481.

About the HEAL Initiative

The Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®, is a research effort funded by the National Institutes of Health (a government agency) to better understand poorly treated pain, opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose. HEAL-funded research is meant to make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities across America. Learn more here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have previous work/volunteer experience or a specific degree to join the Panel?

Do I need to know about research to join?

How is recovery defined within the Lived Experience Panel?

We are using the following definition of recovery: "The process of improved physical, psychological, and social well-being and health following cessation or reductions in substance use." See more here.

We believe that recovery is self-defined, and for individuals coming to the Panel with lived experience with recovery, we are open to different recovery pathways, including abstinence-based recovery, harm reduction approaches, medications for opioid use disorder, and other pathways.

How is opioid use disorder defined within the Lived Experience Panel?

For individuals who are coming to the Panel with lived experience in recovery, we welcome all experiences related to recovery, including if you did not receive a formal diagnosis of opioid use disorder. We also welcome those who are utilizing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) as part of their recovery.

We also recognize that many individuals legitimately utilize opioid medications to manage pain conditions effectively. We intentionally have avoided stigmatizing language such as misuse and addiction, but we recognize that may generate confusion. We followed the recommendations of partners with lived experience in selecting language. We hope this FAQ clarifies meaning.

In sum, we aim to include a range of different perspectives and experiences within the Lived Experience Panel.

How do I apply?

Click on this link to fill out our brief online application form. The online application form will allow you to select and rank multiple Subpanels. Our team will review all applications and may email or text you to schedule a 30-minute follow-up Zoom call. During the call, we can share more information about the Lived Experience Panel, answer any questions you have, and get to know you. Information that you share will be private, and you can decide what information you want to share.

Can I apply if I use opioids to manage pain?

Yes! We recognize that many individuals legitimately utilize opioid medications to manage pain conditions effectively. We intentionally have avoided stigmatizing language such as misuse and addiction, but we recognize that may generate confusion. We followed the recommendations of partners with lived experience in selecting language. We hope this FAQ clarifies meaning.

In sum, we aim to include a range of different perspectives and experiences within the Lived Experience Panel.

Is this a paid opportunity?

Yes. Panel members will receive an annual stipend for participation on the Panel. Activities from now through the end of August 2023 will include attending 2-3 virtual meetings (approximately 1-2 hours each) and reviewing different materials (approximately 1-3 hours). For participating in these activities, Panel members will receive $300 in total compensation. In the following year (September 2023 to August 2024), Panel members would be asked to participate in 3-5 virtual meetings per year and to review materials between meetings. Compensation will increase for the second year in proportion to increased activities.

What is the time commitment?

We ask for a minimum commitment of one year, but your participation on the Panel could be longer than that. Between now and the end of August 2023, Panel members will attend 2-3 virtual meetings (approximately 1-2 hours each) and review different materials (approximately 1-3 hours). In the following year (September 2023 to August 2024), Panel members would be asked to participate in 3-5 virtual meetings per year and to review materials between meetings.

When will the meetings be held?

Will my participation on this Panel be made public?

Can I serve on more than one Subpanel?

We recognize that many people may meet the criteria for several Subpanels. A Panel member may serve on no more than 2 Subpanels because we want to ensure there are a variety of perspectives included in this work. If you meet the criteria for multiple Subpanels and are interested in multiple Subpanels, we’ll ask you to rank these Subpanels in terms of your interest on the online application form.

How many people will serve on the Panel?

Do I need to live in a particular area to join?

Contact us!

If you are interested in being considered for future Lived Experience Panel openings or if you would like to receive periodic emails from the organizers of the Lived Experience Panel, please send us a message using the form below.