Patient Population: Adults

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.

Opioid State Targeted Response – Technical Assistance for HHS Region 10

This project contributed to the sustained 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 use disorders.