Black Women Consulting to Advance Addiction Research and Engagement (Black Women CARE) convened Black women with lived experiences with substance use disorders, trauma, and the criminal legal system to uncover how research can better address the needs of Black women.

Key recommendations include:

• Create a community advisory board before the study is developed
• Include Black researchers—especially Black women with lived experiences
• Approach research participants with respect
• Acknowledge life experience as a form of expertise
• Compensate participants for their time

The study concluded that Black women are often frustrated because research studies don’t address their needs and researchers can’t relate to their struggles. The exclusion of people of color from studies contributes to a lack of trust, fear of potential harm, and ineffective healthcare policies.