CSI Research & Ethics (IRB)

Combat Support Institute (CSI) Research exists to evaluate what works for veterans and their families, especially in the areas of trauma recovery, moral injury, PTSD/TBI, integrative care, and whole-person rehabilitation.

We support research that is:

• Trauma-informed and veteran-centered
• Methodologically rigorous
• Ethically grounded
• Built for real-world impact, not just publication

• Community-based participatory research (CBPR)
• Program evaluation and outcomes research
• Clinical or observational studies (where permitted and appropriate)
• Research-to-policy translation and legislative impact studies
• Quality improvement projects (when applicable)

The CSI IRB is a separate ethical review function established to protect human participants and ensure research meets ethical standards.

The CSI IRB provides:

• Initial IRB review (exempt/expedited/full board as applicable)
• Continuing review and amendments
• Adverse event/incident review
• Consent review and participant protection guidance
• Investigator compliance support and training pathways

• CSI internal research projects (when eligible)
• External investigators and partner organizations
• Nonprofits, clinics, universities, and independent research teams seeking ethical review

CSI maintains strict separation between its Research Program and its IRB Ethics Review to protect integrity and public trust.

If a project is affiliated with CSI (or if CSI is a funder, sponsor, publisher, or program partner), we apply safeguards such as:

• IRB member recusal for anyone with real or perceived conflicts
• Independent reviewer assignment (external or unaffiliated reviewers when needed)
• Documented conflict-of-interest disclosures
• Clear firewalls between program leadership, fundraising, publishing, and ethics review decisions
• Transparent reporting standards aligned to human-subject protections

No one at CSI can “approve their own work.” Ethical review must remain independent.

We can review (depending on scope and jurisdiction):

• Behavioral health and trauma recovery research
• Veteran wellness and integrative interventions
• Education, disability, and accessibility studies
• Program evaluations involving human subjects
• Survey/interview-based research
• Community studies involving vulnerable populations

We offer a pre-review consult to determine whether your project is exempt, QI, or requires IRB oversight.  Please inquire via IRB@combathelp.com