Stacy Sterling, DrPH, MSW, MPH, and Derek Satre PhD, Health System Node faculty, hosted the International Network on Brief Intervention for Alcohol or Other Drugs (INEBRIA) conference in San Francisco, CA on September 24-26, 2025.  INEBRIA is dedicated to evaluating the effectiveness of brief interventions in different settings with different types of patients. A great turn out, with more than 130 researchers from around the world in attendance. Research by Kelly Young-Wolff, PhD, MPH, Health System Node faculty, and Research Scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, was highlighted in the new ACOG guidelines on prenatal cannabis use. Upcoming online seminar The new Health Systems Node Seminar Series presents Lessons Learned About Treating Co-occurring Conditions Among Adults Receiving Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Dr. Mark Ilgen, PhD. Join us for online seminar on November 6, 2025 @ 10 am PT. No registration required. Contact Morgan Ford for more information: morgan.ford@kp.org. Website/link to join:Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting hereMeeting ID: 250 658 877 216 6Passcode: B8jq2m9A Description: Co-occurring mental health and physical problems are common among patients receiving treatment for substance use disorders. When present, these issues typically predict poorer functional and substance-related outcomes following treatment. This suggests that addressing co-occurring problems during an episode of substance use disorder treatment could significantly improve a wide range of outcomes. However, prior studies have yielded somewhat inconsistent results regarding the additional and/or synergistic benefits of treating co-occurring mental health and physical problems beyond the standard effects of substance use…

The Greater Southern California Node has a new publication out about CTN-0143 (Social Determinants of Health: Needs and Consequences Associated with Substance Use Disorders): A scoping review of interventions addressing social determinants of health and their influence on opioid use disorder outcomes. Cousins SJ, et al. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2025;276:112858. Over the past decade, opioid overdose deaths have risen sharply. The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework can guide interventions to improve opioid use disorder (OUD) outcomes. Understanding which SDOH-focused interventions work — and how they affect OUD — can help meet the needs of people at risk or living with OUD. This scoping review looked at SDOH interventions and their impacts on OUD outcomes across five domains. Most focused on the healthcare system (37%), improving provider training, access, and care quality. Others addressed community and social context (30%) through support programs and coalitions; economic stability (16%) via employment and financial incentives; neighborhood environment (9%) through Housing-First models; and education (2%) with early prevention programs. These efforts generally reduced opioid use, overdoses, and stigma. However, inconsistent SDOH definitions and limited rigorous evaluation hinder clear conclusions. Strengthening study design and measurement is crucial to advance effective SDOH-based OUD interventions. Read the full paper here! (free full text) Posted on October 14, 2025

Dr. Kathleen Brady, principal investigator of the CTN Southern Consortium Node, was recently named one of the top most influential people in Charleston, South Carolina, by Charleston Magazine! From the article: The Researcher: Kathleen Brady, MD Medical research is that nerdy enterprise most of us don’t pay attention to, until we need it. Given that nearly 17% of Americans over age 12 faced a substance [use] disorder in the last year, chances are you’ll need it. Enter Dr. Kathleen Brady, vice president for research and distinguished professor and MUSC [Medical University of South Carolina], where for more than three decades, she’s led the charge for evidence-based treatments, studying how anxiety, affective disorders, and PTSD affect addiction, particularly in women. Brady has been the top NIH-funded investigator at MUSC and in the top five percent nationally for over a decade, receiving the SC Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science for her contributions, including ensuring clinical trial discoveries reach frontline providers. “I’m committed to science and research, but my interest lies in how these improve the lives of patients,” the Betty Ford Award recipient said. That bridge proved vital when the opioid crisis hit South Carolina. Brady’s work has expanded treatment capacity, including telehealth, screening, and ER intervention for opioid addiction throughout the state, saving countless lives. Congratulations, Dr. Brady! Read the piece from Charleston Magazine here (Dr. Brady is #43 in the list) Posted on October 13, 2025

The CTN Pacific Northwest Node team took some time out on October 2nd and 3rd to do some goal-setting for the coming year. As a reward for all their hard work, they participated in a Paint and Sip at Canvas in Redmond, funded by a University of Washington School of Medicine Well Being grant! Check out the incredible artwork of this multi-talented Node team! Pictured: (Back, left to right) Kai Orozco, Brenda Stuvek, Michelle Ingalsbe, Mary Hatch(Front, left to right) Tanja Laschober, Sharon Garrett Posted on October 13, 2025

Publication announcement Zhu, Y., Cousins, S. J., Clingan, S. E., Mooney, L. J., Saxon, A. J., Evans, E. A., & Hser, Y. I. (2024). Racial and Ethnic Differences in Long-Term Outcomes among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder at Opioid Treatment Programs. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 2024 (in press). DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02273-w. Mini documentary/video clip The Recovery Incentives Program: California’s Contingency Management Benefit The UCLA ISAP Implementation Team, DHCS, Q2i, and sites participating in California’s Contingency Management Benefit Program collaborated to create a video documentary about the Recovery Incentives Program. The 5-minute video features several personal statements about the impact of the program, from both providers and participating members, and highlights the importance and meaning of the Recovery Incentives Program. #CMworks, #recoveryincentives, #flipthescript, #UCLAISAP. Posted on September 15, 2025.

We are pleased to welcome Donnie Young and David Sternberg as the newest members of the Appalachian Node Community Advisory Board. Both are affiliated with our team at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and bring valuable expertise to our collaborative efforts. Posted on August 18, 2025