Treatment Program Perspectives: Conducting Research in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network

Yong S. Song, PhD

NIDA Clinical Trials Network

Cooperative undertaking of NIDA, university researchers & community treatment providers

Researchers & clinicians work together to test empirically-based treatments in “real world” community settings

Incorporating research into community treatment programs

San Francisco General Hospital

CTP of California/Arizona Node of NIDA CTN Teaching hospital for UCSF School of Medicine County hospital providing care to SF’s indigent population Opiate Treatment Outpatient Program (OTOP)

Long history of treating IDUs w/ HIV Integrated substance abuse, HIV & mental health

services University-based methadone programs well researched OTOP research familiar clinic and staff

Several extramurally funded studies (Sorensen et al)

CTN Protocol 0018

HIV/STD Safer Sex Skills Groups for Men in Methadone Maintenance or Drug-Free Outpatient Treatment Programs Don Calsyn - Lead Investigator

Collective effort involving research & clinical staff

Treatment Program Perspectives

Training & Supervision

Implementation Issues

Managing Resources & Staff Time

Goals & Expectations for research

Training & Supervision

Week long training for counselors

Protocol trainings perceived as “intense”

Protocol certification process difficult for some

Comfort with sexual material

Process of supervision

Implementation Issues

Providing manualized treatment

Fidelity checks

Co-facilitation of groups

Attendance & pt tracking strategies

Clinical staff guidance in scheduling sessions

Resources & Staff Time

Counselor turn-over in SUD programs high

Clinical issues take priority

Balancing busy clinical load with research duties

Goals & Expectations

Multiple additional commitments

Flexibility needed to please 2 masters

Sometimes perceived as additional “burden”

Feedback loop to clinical program

Lessons Learned

Incorporating research into clinical programs provided opportunities for many

Opportunity for clinics to receive training about empirically validated treatments and new clinical opportunities

Opportunity for researchers to conduct better research applied in real-life settings

Acknowledgements

Sara Berns, PhD Jennifer Borrow, MA Bill Buehlman Donald Calysn, PhD TeChieh Chen, BA Rhodri Dierst-Davies, BA Valerie Gruber, PhD Mary Hatch-Malliette, PhD Nancy Haug, PhD

NIDA U10DA015815 (James Sorensen, PI)

Bryan Jackson Carmen Masson, PhD Barbara Paschke, M.Ed Edward Pease, RN Sarah Pelta, MA Luis Ramos Dora Scott Michael Shopshire, PhD James Sorensen, PhD