The UW was once again named a top medical school for its drug and alcohol abuse program, coming in at #8 in the nation. The ranking is complex and incorporates medical school teaching, clinical services, academics (journal articles and books), and funded research. Multiple people, Institutes and Centers affiliated with our department contribute to the culture of collaboration and excellence of the program. Over 50 faculty members contribute to our addictions activities and bring in a sizable amount of our research portfolio. Below is a sample of our major addiction research and training centers:

• The UW Psychiatry and Addictions Case Conference (UW PACC) series has been offered since July, 2016. Run by Mark Duncan, MD, and Rick Ries, MD, the series has provided over 1,200 hours of training to 160 individuals from 15 counties in Washington.
• The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, with Dennis Donovan, PhD, as the Principal Investigator, is in its 16th year of funding as the Pacific Northwest Node and Regional Research and Training Center of the National Institute on Drug Abuse National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network.
• Our Addictions Track directed by Rick Ries, MD — the only such entry track in the country — recruits residents to our department prior to and in their initial year. Our ACGME Addictions Psychiatry Fellowship directed by Andrew Saxon, MD, remains a top program in the country. Graduates from both programs function as clinical and research faculty at our various departmental sites and occupy key positions in regional hospitals and treatment centers.
• The T32 Psychology in Alcohol Research Training Grant, directed by Mary Larimer, PhD, provides pre- and post-doctoral support for fellows interested in pursuing a career in alcohol research, with an emphasis on the etiology and prevention of problem drinking and alcohol dependence.
• Mary Larimer, PhD, also directs the Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors (CSHRB), dedicated to eradicating the harm caused by engagement in a variety of health risk behaviors through the development and implementation of novel prevention and treatment approaches.
• The Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit (FADU) directed by Therese Grant, PhD, studies fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) across the life span, disseminates research information, provides consultation for individuals affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol, and intervenes with high-risk mothers to prevent future births of children with fetal alcohol and drug effects.
• The Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center directed by Susan Collins, PhD, and Seema Clifasefi, PhD, works collaboratively with substance users, community members and organizations to develop, conduct, evaluate and disseminate evidence-based interventions that help to reduce substance-related harm and improve quality of life for affected individuals and their communities.
• Translational research efforts at the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), directed by Murray Raskind, MD, focuses on treatment for PTSD and its substance abuse comorbidities (alcohol and tobacco)..
• The Mental Health and Addictions Services at Harborview directed by Rick Ries, MD, is one of the most innovative in the country, provides integrated chemical dependency, mental health and medical primary care treatment in an outpatient setting to assist people with chemical abuse and dependency problems..
• Our psychiatric neurosciences division led by John Neumaier, PhD, MD, conducts a broad range of addictions-related basic research.

Again, this is just a sample of our addictions work and many more people and projects contribute to our robust program. A lot of work goes into a nation-wide top ten ranking – thank you to all of our addictions researchers, clinicians and educators who contribute to the effort, and a big thank you to Rick Ries, MD, the director of our Addictions Division!