A pilot trial on EMA habit formation behavioral strategies for improving engagement of digital mindfulness interventions among non-suicidal self-injury engagers

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the purposeful, direct damage of one’s body without the intent to die, is a pervasive public health concern with clinically significant long-term consequences. Mindfulness – a core skill in DBT, an evidence-based treatment for NSSI, is designed to target emotion dysregulation and rumination and may be particularly relevant due to the proliferation […]

A Research Institute for Implementation Science in Education (RIISE) to address the “Last Mile” in education

Longstanding gaps between science and practice in schools have contributed to a persistent “last mile” problem in which education research consistently fails to reach the individuals for whom it was intended. Implementation research is an emerging scientific study in education of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and evidence-based programs and practices […]

Acceptability and feasibility of a single-session + digital mental health intervention for people with psychosis on an acute psychiatric inpatient unit

People with psychosis are admitted more frequently to inpatient psychiatric units and have a longer length of stay once admitted compared to those with other psychiatric conditions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) reduces hospital admissions when delivered in outpatient settings and facilitates quicker symptom improvement when delivered in inpatient settings. Despite this, implementation of […]


Affective Dynamics Associated with Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use Outcomes among a High-risk Sample of Young Adults

The proposed F32 aims to conduct a secondary analysis of time-intensive daily data (MPIs: Lee/Patrick; R01AA025037) to elucidate the roles of affect and affective dynamics on simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use outcomes among a sample of high-risk adults (N = 409). We will test whether theoretically-relevant affective dynamic processes (affective instability, negative emotion differentiation): […]

Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors In Sororities Training (ASSIST)

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a new online program called ASSIST – Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors In Sororities Training. The training is designed to help sorority members learn how to support friends who have had an unwanted sexual experience, both during the initial discussion of the experience and when navigating […]

All Patients Safe

All Patients Safe, an interactive, online suicide prevention training that meets Washington State’s licensure requirements for health care providers, has trained nearly 1900 providers to date. The training provides practical skills for medical professionals, perspectives of real patients, and concrete steps for practice change. Partners in development include the AIMS Center, Forefront Suicide Prevention, the Department of […]

Applying Critical Race Theory to investigate the impact of COVID-19-related policy changes on racial/ethnic disparities in medication treatment for opioid use disorder

With the rise in opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose, racialized disparities in buprenorphine access and use are a significant concern nationally—studies estimate that Black patients with OUD are 50-60% less likely to access buprenorphine compared to White patients, and similar disparities have also been observed for Hispanic/Latinx patients. COVID-19-related policy changes increased flexibility in […]


Autism Community Toolkit: Systems to Measure and Adopt Research-Based Treatments- Educational Redesign (ACT SMARTER)

The aims of the current project are to: 1) Engage stakeholders to identify targets for ACT SMART redesign to optimize its fit for middle and high school providers who serve autistic adolescents; 2) Conduct prototyping and usability field testing of the redesigned ACT SMART and iteratively refine to ensure usability, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness for […]

Autism Intervention Network on Behavioral Health (AIR-B)

The purpose of this multi-site study is to develop and evaluate a multi-phase implementation and sustainment strategy to support evidence-based practice use across different interventions for individuals with autism, settings, and ages. *In partnership with UCLA, UC Davis, Rochester, Penn, Drexel, and Kansas

Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS)

Our goals for this project include (1) Design competency framework and learning objectives that define the role and scope of practice for a BHSS; (2) Scale 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) Partner with Washington […]

Beliefs and Attitudes for Successful Implementation in Schools (BASIS)

The goal of this study is to adapt and test the feasibility and potential efficacy of a theory-driven pre-implementation intervention to address individual-level barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation – Beliefs and Attitudes for Successful Implementation in Schools (BASIS) – designed to improve school-based mental health providers’ implementation of EBP. The BASIS-T project will develop a teacher-focused […]

Biomarkers in the retina for prognosticating mental health treatments (BRIGHT)

This clinical trial is designed to pilot an electroretinogram (ERG) biomarker for predicting treatment response to SSRIs in PTSD. Serotonergic brain centers project to the retina, and ERG allows assessment of brain serotonergic signals via retinal signals. In this study we are characterizing the ERG waveform in veterans with PTSD before and after SSRI administration. […]

Bipolar disorder measures in clinical care

The goals of this project are to 1) determine which validated bipolar disorder patient-reported symptom measure is most acceptable and helpful to patients and clinicians in clinical care, 2) demonstrate that the preferred measure can be used to monitor outcomes with high fidelity in routine care, and 3) assess the feasibility of comparing effectiveness of […]



citiesRISE

citiesRISE is a global platform committed to transforming the state of mental health policy and practice in cities and beyond to meet the mental health needs of populations across the world. To achieve significant, measurable improvements in mental health – especially among young people – citiesRISE is scaling up proven methodologies and tools and harnessing […]


Collaborating to Heal Addiction and Mental Health in Primary Care (CHAMP)

The gold-standard intervention for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). Because more patients with OUD need access to MOUD in primary care, the AIMS Center at the University of Washington is testing a Collaborative Care model to treat mental health disorders and OUD concurrently in primary care settings. The CHAMP study addresses […]

Collaborative care for perinatal mental health – the LAMMHA project

Los Angeles Maternal Mental Health Access (LAMMHA) is a five year program (2022 – 2027) funded by The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) to support health centers in Los Angeles to identify and treat common perinatal mental disorders (CPMD) and reduce the risk of suicide. The LAMMHA initiative is a collaboration between Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles […]

Community resilience to late life depression among first generation Asian Indian immigrants in the greater Seattle area (The CREED Seattle Study)

Asian Indians, are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country, growing from 1.9 million (2000) to 4.6 million (2020). With a median household income of $119,000, Asian Indians are highly educated (43% have a postgraduate degree), are proficient English speakers (82%) and are often touted as a “model minority”. While these data […]

Connectivity in the Brain and Autism (COBRA) Study

The COBRA study seeks to identify the specific neural circuits that are altered in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our experiments test the strength of “divisive normalization”, a measure that describes how neurons in the brain suppress each other. Our hypothesis is that suppressive interactions are reduced in individuals with ASD. Because suppressive neural interactions are […]

COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the prevalence, patterns, and trajectories of substance use and related health risk outcomes among young adults in WA State

This project examines changes in young adult substance use, related health risk behaviors, and substance use-related risk factors from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults in WA state (where alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis sales and use are legal for adults age 21 and over) using the accelerated longitudinal cohort sequential data from […]


Decision During Drinking (D3 Study)

This multiphase project aims to 1) understand more about cues that young adults experience that influence their decisions while drinking that may lead to unwanted outcomes or experiences; and 2) use human center design and young adult feedback to develop and assess the feasibility of an electronic program or resources to focused on reducing these […]

Developing a digital training resource for clinicians learning CBT for psychosis (CBTpro)

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training Study will rigorously test CBTpro — a novel tool that uses spoken language technologies and conversational Artificial Intelligence to train behavioral health practitioners in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We conducted a 2-week field trial, followed by a Randomized Clinical Trail in community mental health agencies to evaluate both learner and client […]

Development and testing of a research-based Tier 3 Wraparound model for schools

This project will adapt the defined, research-based, Wraparound care coordination model for youth with complex behavioral health needs to the education environment, including training curricula, installation protocols, fidelity measures, and other components. The project will initially convene national experts and local stakeholders who will review and aid in iterative refinement of materials, followed by a […]


eHaRT-A

The unprecedented global pandemic has highlighted the digital divide and limited access to alcohol-related treatments among marginalized communities, specifically individuals with lived experience of homelessness. In line with the NIAAA health initiative seeking to integrate technology-based interventions among vulnerable populations, this study directly addresses this mission by proposing innovative methods (i.e., user-centered design + a […]

eHaRT-A: adapting an in-person harm reduction for alcohol intervention into a telehealth platform

The unprecedented global pandemic has highlighted the digital divide and limited access to alcohol-related treatments among marginalized communities, specifically individuals with lived experience of homelessness. In line with the NIAAA health initiative seeking to integrate technology-based interventions among vulnerable populations, this study directly addresses this mission by proposing innovative methods (i.e., user-centered design + a […]

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 […]


Evaluating Lifelines4Moms (ELM) Study

Perinatal depression affects 10-15% of pregnant and postpartum individuals, with detrimental impacts on both parent and infant. In response to this, our department developed a perinatal consultation line for providers, PAL for Moms, to increase access to specialty perinatal psychiatric expertise and care.  The purpose of the Evaluating Lifeline4Moms (ELM) is to assess comparative effectiveness […]

Evaluating the National Implementation of Virtual Interdisciplinary Pain Care Teams – TelePain

Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent and disabling conditions affecting Veterans. One of the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) most pressing national clinical priorities is to increase access to non- pharmacological pain management and improve the safety of opioid prescribing. The National Pain Management and Opioid Safety Program (PMOP) is implementing virtual interdisciplinary pain […]


Evaluation of an asynchronous remote communities approach to behavioral activation for depressed adolescents

In an effort to address the significant challenges in access to and engagement with evidence-based psychosocial interventions for adolescent depression, the proposed research is piloting the use of Asynchronous Remote Communities (ARC) supported behavioral activation (BA) to treat adolescent depression. We aim to 1) build and conduct usability testing on a functional and robust ActivaTeen […]





G2MH: Genes to Mental Health

This study is looking at individuals who carry a rare gene event and their biological family members, with the the goal of exploring the differences between individuals with one of these gene events and their biological family members.

Harnessing the ECHO Model to help Washingtonians with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability in Washington state and throughout the US. TBI increases the risk and complexity of multiple behavioral health conditions including post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, irritability, anger/aggression, substance misuse and cognitive impairment. In addition, TBI impairs a person’s ability to manage their health care and […]



Identity, Resilience, and Interconnection after Stress (IRIS)

The IRIS Study is a longitudinal examination of young adults who have experienced an unwanted sexual experience in the past year, and those who have never had an unwanted sexual experience. This study aims to prospectively examine how young adults’ thoughts about a recent unwanted sexual experience are shaped by and influence social relationships and […]

Immune changes with neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia

Though the focus of most research on dementia is the pathogenesis of cognitive deficits, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are identified in >90% of those afflicted, resulting in hastened cognitive decline, worsened general health, reduced patient and caregiver quality of life, sooner institutionalization, and increased mortality. Affective symptoms, including depression, are the most common NPS in Alzheimer’s […]

Impact of medical and recreational marijuana laws on cannabis, opioids and psychiatric medications: national study of VA patients, 2000 – 2024

We will analyze Veterans Health Administration electronic medical record data to determine the effects of medical marijuana laws (MML) and recreational marijuana laws (RML) on cannabis (use and cannabis use disorder); opioids (prescriptions, fatal and non-fatal overdoses, opioid use disorders); and psychotropic medication prescriptions, providing important information on MML and RML effects in VA patients […]

Implementation Toolkit to Enhance EBP Among Marginalized Families (I-TEAM)

Although the efficacy of early intervention (EI) for autistic children and their families has been established, many marginalized families with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds still report inequitable access to evidence-based practices (EBP). The proposed research addresses three aims including: AIM 1. Identify facilitators and barriers of EBP implementation among marginalized families of young autistic […]



Improving the implementation of smartphone-based contingency management in medical settings for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder: a qualitative analysis of patient and clinician experiences

The proposed research is a qualitative analysis of patient and clinician experiences during a pilot study of mHealth-delivered contingency management for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder and will address perceived facilitators and reinforcing factors, barriers and limitations, and proposals for future improvements including specific recommendations regarding the intervention and its mode of delivery.

Initial efficacy trial of a group-based implementation strategy designed to increase teacher delivery of evidence-based prevention programs

The purpose of this project is to test the effects of BASIS-T (Beliefs and Attitudes to Support Implementation in Schools – Teachers) on the implementation and student outcomes of evidence-based prevention programs (EBPP) via a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial. Failing to address individual-level motivational factors of implementers is especially costly, as individual behavior change […]

Latinx Health in Rural Areas (Project LAHRA)

This project aims to examine health disparities in substance use and factors influencing the health and well-being of Latinx youth residing in rural and small-town communities of the United States, a growing but understudied and underserved population.

Lay-delivered behavioral activation in senior centers

This collaborative study with Cornell Medical College and the University of Florida tests the effectiveness of “Do More, Feel Better” (DMFB), a lay health delivered behavioral intervention, in comparison to professionally-delivered Behavioral Activation. The specific aims are to test the effectiveness of “Do More, Feel Better” for depressed older adults on increasing overall activity level and […]


Microglia and opioid withdrawal: mechanisms of negative reinforcement

Extensive opioid use and repeated abstinence increases the likelihood of severe withdrawal and contributes to the risk of relapse. Previously we found that microglia, the innate immune cells in the brain, have dramatic changes in gene expression and signaling during opioid tolerance and withdrawal. We propose to use fentanyl and a recently developed transgenic mice to […]

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 […]

MOVE!+UP: Testing a tailored weight management program for Veterans with PTSD

This Hybrid Type 1 Trial will test the effectiveness of MOVE!+UP, a behavioral weight management intervention tailored to address PTSD-based weight loss barriers. The trial will compare MOVE!+UP to VA’s standard weight loss program on weight and PTSD symptom changes. The study also will identify implementation barriers and facilitators to help understand effectiveness findings and […]

NIDA Clinical Trials Network: Pacific Northwest Node

The NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is a means by which medical and specialty treatment providers, treatment researchers, participating patients, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse cooperatively develop, validate, refine, and deliver new treatment options to patients. The Network consists of 16 regional Nodes, including the Pacific Northwest Node located at the UW Addictions, […]

NORTH: Developing a mobile health intervention to support treatment seeking in early psychosis

The proposed research project proposes to develop and test a mobile intervention, Normalizing Orientation to Treatment and Help-Seeking (NORTH) designed to impact knowledge and attitudes to encourage help-seeking among young adults at risk for psychosis. This project involves (1) a needs assessment to understand barriers, interests and preferences related to mHealth and in-person treatment, (2) […]








PHSKC Planning and Evaluation

Project includes activities surrounding the provision of evaluation, training, and consultation services to PHSKC. These include developing, conducting and analyzing a needs assessment for mental health providers and agency leads to further refine a tier 2/3 model of care. Training and consultation supports will be provided.



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 […]

Project EQUIP

This is a subaward to an R34 awarded to Dr. Melissa Lewis at University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC). This project develops and tests an intervention for young adults that focuses on motivations for and quality of alcohol and marijuana protective behavior strategy use, including a daily-level examination of these processes.

Project SARAH (Sexual Assault, Recovery & Hope)

Project SARAH is a randomized clinical trial providing treatment for PTSD and alcohol use in the first year following sexual assault for individuals who identify as female. The study aims to test 1) the role of fear and reward in recovery following sexual assault; 2) the efficacy of a PTSD vs an alcohol intervention for […]

Real-world Experiences of Alcohol and Cognitions over Time (REACT)

The overall aim of the REACT Study is to create and assess smartphone-based cognitive tasks to examine how acute alcohol intoxication affects attention. First, we will adapt laboratory-based cognitive tasks for use on smartphones. To maximize usability, feedback will be gathered in rapid prototyping interviews with young adults. Then, we will evaluate the adapted smartphone […]



SPARK

SPARK is an autism research study and a growing community of autistic individuals, their families, and researchers with a goal to advance the understanding of autism. This study aims to improve the lives of people with autism by identifying the causes of autism and informing more effective therapies, treatments, services, and supports.

State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center

The State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center is a national technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs. Through this subcontract, the UW SMART Center has a subcontract to develop a micro-credentialing program on implementation science (IS) for educators, and to develop and convene a […]


Systematic redesign of an autism community implementation toolkit for schools

The aims of the current project are to: 1) Engage stakeholders to identify targets for ACT SMART redesign to optimize its fit for middle and high school providers who serve autistic adolescents; 2) Conduct prototyping and usability field testing of the redesigned ACT SMART and iteratively refine to ensure usability, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness for […]


THRIVE Study

This is a study of an app intended to support recent sexual assault survivors, called THRIVE. In a prior grant, we pilot tested THRIVE and found that it reduced risk for alcohol misuse and posttraumatic stress. In the first year of this grant, we aim to revise the app to increase usability and inclusivity. In […]

TIGER: The Investigation of Genetic Exome Research

In the TIGER research study, we are learning more about individuals with genetic events associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and/or developmental delay (DD) in order to better describe how different gene disruptions impact behavior in children and adults.

Treating Parents and Children with ADHD (TPAC)

ADHD often runs in families. The TPAC study focuses on parents with ADHD who also have a child with the disorder, aiming to open the door to new ADHD treatments for adults and children. All parents in the study receive training that uses behavior modification techniques and reward-based interventions to improve communication, increase compliance and […]

Trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) for ADHD

TNS uses a device to send currents into the brain and stimulate the trigeminal nerve. This method has proven effective to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders. The research team is working to understand if this approach could help improve executive function and reduce symptoms of ADHD. Previous studies have shown that this is effective […]

Understanding practical alcohol measures in primary care to prepare for measurement-based care

Standardized measurements of unhealthy drinking and alcohol use disorder symptoms are integral to addressing alcohol problems. However, surprisingly little is known about how measures of alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder symptoms function when they are used in real-world routine care settings and documented in electronic health records (EHRs). We propose to leverage EHRs to […]

Using technology to optimize Collaborative Care management of depression in urban and rural cancer centers (SCOPE)

This project aims to improve the treatment of depression in cancer patients. Up to 25% of people with cancer will become clinically depressed, significantly affecting their quality of life, functioning, and ability to tolerate cancer treatment. Unfortunately, about 75% of cancer patients with depression do not receive adequate treatment, and patients in rural settings are […]

WITH (Whole person Integrated Texting for Health)

Text messaging holds promise as a strategy for engaging older adults in depression treatment. The purpose of this project will be to develop and pilot test a text messaging intervention delivered in primary care settings practicing integrated care. Recent data shows that the vast majority of older adults have a cell phone and that about […]