An Online Training Support System to Increase Community Clinic Use of an Evidence-Based Treatment for Opioid and Other Drug Addictions in Emerging Adults

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT The societal costs of drug addiction are astoundingover $billion annuallyexceeding costs for any other health problemThe opioid epidemicespeciallyis devastatingoverAmerican overdose deaths daily at a cost of $billion per yearEach yearmillion emerging adultsEAsagesuse illicit drugsinEAsand overmillion are in need of treatment for substance use disordersSUDEAs represent the age group with the highest rates of initiation of substance useincreases in substance useand progression of substance use into SUDcontributing to many serious problems for EAs including suicidecar accidentsand other lethal eventsSUD during this transitional age also leads to increased unemployment and job instabilityEAs with SUD represent a tremendously underserved populationwith high likelihood ofslipping through the cracksas they transition from child to adult treatment servicesThusthis group presents significant shortand long term costs for individualsfamiliesand societyUnfortunatelycommunity based clinics are unlikely to provide anything approximating an evidence based practiceEBPGiven thisthere is a clear public health need for improving and expanding the delivery of EBP s for EAs with SUDDespite this clear needthere is a large divide between science and practiceThe proposed project has the potential to overcome a gaping need within the outpatient treatment sectorthe largest purveyor of SUD treatment in the countrySpecificallythe proposed SBIR Phase I project will build upon an existing Training Support SystemTSSthrough creation of an entirely onlineongoing training and quality assurance tool to make it possible for community based agencies to adoptimplementand sustain use of Contingency ManagementCMan EBP for EA addictionThis support system would generate a cost effective platform for outpatient counselors that would enable them to learn an EBP with ongoing monitoringsupportand coaching to ensure fidelity and rapid uptake of the EBPThe project s first aim is to develop an online computer assisted training program for counselors and modify the existing online TSS to provide individualand agency level performance assessment and feedback processescoaching and remediation trainingimmediate training access when turnover occursand clinical expert guidance and technical assistance for counselors and agencies using the CM treatment approachThe project s second aim is to pilot the TSS in urbansuburbanand rural community based settings with both seasoned and novice cliniciansThe feasibility of the TSS for ensuring uptake and use of CM will be examined from the perspective of both counselors and agency administratorsPhase I will conclude with proof of feasibility of the TSS for real world counselors treating EAs with CMto make it practicable but effective within the resources of community based agenciesIf successfulthis work could generate a cost effective strategy to increase the use of EBPs for EAs who need them and rarely have access to them PROJECT NARRATIVE Drug addiction among emerging adults results in significant negative outcomes and extraordinary costs for individualsfamiliescommunitiesand societysocietal costs estimated at over $billion annually and greater than costs for any other health problemThere is a clear public health need for improving and expanding the delivery of evidence based treatments for opioid and other drug abusebut despite this clear need there is a large divide between science and practiceThis project will develop a cost effectiveeasily accessibleentirely online training and support system to provide the ongoing monitoringsupportand coaching needed for both counselors and community based agencies to uptake an evidence based treatment