| People experiencing chronic homelessness comprise a small yet high-morbidity, high-cost subset of the larger homeless population and are disproportionately impacted by alcohol-related harm. This study proposes a cluster randomized controlled trial of an innovative, community-based, and client-driven program known as the LEAP to explore its impact on substance use and quality of life outcomes among individuals with lived experience of homelessness and alcohol use problems living in Housing First settings. Analyses will test LEAP effectiveness in increasing engagement in meaningful activities, decreasing alcohol use, ameliorating both first- and secondhand alcohol-related harm, and improving quality of life for this population. |
Patient Population: Adults
Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS)
Our goals for this project include (1) designing a competency framework and learning objectives that define the role and scope of practice for a BHSS; (2) scaling the role for Washington state by creating processes for integrating the BHSS Clinical Training Program into existing four-year degree programs in the behavioral healthcare field; (3) partnering with Washington State higher education institutions to adopt the BHSS Clinical Training Program; (4) developing curricular resources to share with Washington State colleges and universities including an Educator’s Guide; (5) collaborating with government agencies, policy groups, and practicum partners to implement the BHSS role in employment settings. Department of Health approved programs deliver BHSS curriculum. For more information about approved education programs, visit the Department of Health (DOH) webpage, the Behavioral Health Support Specialist Workforce Development Project webpage, or contact:
Bill O’Connell, Ed.D.
Director, BHSS Workforce Development Project
Savannah Tidwell, BS
tidwell1@uw.edu
Program Manager, BHSS Workforce Development Project
Modeling patient mutations in iPSC-derived neurons to reveal cellular mechanisms of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a common and devastating neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by genetic heterogeneity. In this project, genes that are disrupted by rare, damaging mutations in individuals with schizophrenia will be evaluated using CRISPRi in iPSCs. Cell lines will be evaluated for phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia. A patient-derived iPSC line will be created that harbors a mutation in one of these genes. This will allow for characterization of the neurobiological consequences of the specific patient mutation in its native genetic background. Families with schizophrenia will be recruited for participation in genetics research to curate a list of genes for future inquiry and collect clinical data that can be used to generate hypotheses about genotype-phenotype connections.
Project Better
The co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and hazardous drinking (HD) can be particularly devastating; though evidence-based treatments exist, many individuals with this co-occurrence drop out from or do not or cannot access specialty care. Text-messaging is a mode of intervention delivery that is low-cost, low-burden, and accessible to most people; development and testing of self-directed text message interventions that use evidence- and theoretically-based strategies to reduce PTSD and HD symptom burden is highly needed. Such interventions have the potential for great clinical significance via providing additional, novel treatment options that are readily scalable and have wide reach and thus can have a large impact on individual and public health.
Enhancing engagement with digital mental health care
Although several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that digital mental health (DMH) tools are highly effective, most consumers do not sustain their use of these tools. The field currently lacks an understanding of DMH tool engagement, how engagement is associated with well-being, and what practices are effective at sustaining engagement. In this partnership between Mental Health America, Talkspace, and the University of Washington (UW), we propose a naturalistic and experimental, theory driven program of research, with the aim of understanding 1) how consumer engagement in self-help and clinician assisted DMH varies and what engagement patterns exist, 2) the association between patterns of engagement and important consumer outcomes, and 3) the effectiveness of personalized strategies for optimal engagement with DMH treatment.
Establishing the Current State of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Implementation in the U.S.
This study aims to fill a significant knowledge gap that has impeded empirically-informed implementation and sustainability of high-fidelity Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). Investigators are conducting a survey of ACT stakeholders, including specialty adaptations (e.g., Forensic ACT [FACT]) across all U.S. states and territories, examining the relationship between ACT fidelity and outcomes, and examining contextual factors (e.g., financing and policy) that impact high-fidelity ACT implementation and sustainability.
The ATTEND study for Healthcare Workers and First Responders
Healthcare workers and first responders working during the COVID-19 pandemic have experienced increased exposure to suffering and loss; prolonged work hours; and increased personal risk. Although associated increases in psychiatric symptoms and occupational burnout are well documented, what aspects of the experiences are most strongly associated with negative outcomes over time – and what interventions are most likely to protect healthcare workers and first responders – are poorly understood.
The ATTEND study is designed to address the impact of occupational stress related to working during the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers and first responders (police, fire, EMTs) through a national longitudinal survey paired with a local interventional clinical trial. The interventional clinical trial is designed to test the impact of treating sleep disruption with prazosin during or shortly after the period of exposure.
State Opioid Response Technical Assistance
This project is contributing to the expanded offering of the Opioid Response Network (ORN), a national partnership of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) network, to provide on-demand technical assistance in areas of prevention, treatment, and recovery for care related to opioid and stimulant use disorders.
Oregon State Opioid Response
This project is providing intensive technical assistance as support for implementation of contingency management by health settings in OR state.
Development of a County-Level Recovery-Oriented System of Care for Behavioral Health
This project is developing and implementing a county-level plan to institute a recovery-oriented system of care.
