Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Using Implementation Science to Advance Evidence-Based Treatment for Stimulant Use - PROJECT SUMMARY This K01 award is designed to provide Dr. Erath with mentored training in implementation science to become an independent investigator focused on advancing the implementation of evidence-based treatments for stimulant use disorder (StimUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) in harm reduction and other community treatment and recovery settings. The training objectives of this application are threefold: (1) gain proficiency in implementation science theory and research methodology through formal course work, (2) obtain hands-on experiential learning by observing and participating in a seminal statewide implementation of contingency management (CM) treatment for StimUD in California, and (3) develop professional repertoires necessary to be a successful implementation scientist leading an independent research program. Dr. Erath’s multidisciplinary mentorship team is comprised of four nationally recognized independent investigators (Drs. Stephen T. Higgins, Richard A. Rawson, Sara J. Becker, and Kimber P. Richter) with expertise in treatment development for StimUD and other SUDs, implementation science, mentoring early-career investigators, and a successful record of obtaining federal research funding. The proposed research plan seeks to develop hands- on experience and skills in implementation science advancing the use of CM, an evidence-based treatment for StimUD, in community harm-reduction settings using syringe service programs (SSPs) as a model. Despite decades of studies supporting CM’s efficacy for StimUD, its use in community settings is surprisingly limited. To help address this gap, the research plan has three specific aims: (1) conduct a qualitative study examining contextual determinants of implementing CM for StimUD in community SSPs, (2) develop a theory- and partner-informed set of implementation strategies to promote the use and sustainment of CM for StimUD in community SSPs, and (3) conduct a hybrid type 2 pilot feasibility study that simultaneously evaluates the potential efficacy of CM for StimUD in two SSPs and the efficacy of the partner-informed implementation strategies. The proposed research is innovative because it represents a substantial departure from the status quo by examining implementation of CM for StimUD in low-barrier harm reduction settings—an emerging and promising setting for SUD treatment. Moreover, the completion of these three aims is significant because it will help address a notable evidence-to-practice gap on the use of a highly effective StimUD treatment in practice, and create a working model, grounded in implementation science, for how to implement CM for StimUD in SSPs that could be adapted and advanced by future research. Overall, this K01 award is designed to provide the requisite training and research experience necessary to become a successful implementation scientist, using the obtained knowledge and preliminary findings to open new horizons in advancing the implementation of evidence-based treatments for StimUD and other SUDs in community-based harm reduction and other addiction treatment and recovery settings.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).