An investigator with the Pacific Northwest Node, Dr. Thomas Robey, was recently profiled by Washington NPR affiliate KNKX, because of his innovative work as medical director with the Emergency Mobile Opioid Team in Everett, WA (EMOTE).   EMOTE’s goal is to provide compassionate medical care and make it easier to access treatment for substance use disorders, especially for those dealing with homelessness or other issues that can make getting to a traditional care setting challenging. The EMOTE team routinely drives around Snohomish County looking for anyone who is unhoused and may need help with any kind of healthcare need, not just their substance use. Read more about Dr. Robey and EMOTE in the KNKX piece here.

Dr. Gail D’Onofrio (left) was honored with the 2025 James L. Sorensen Distinguished Treatment and Service Research Mentor Award in a special ceremony, sponsored by Mrs. James L. Sorenson (right), at The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD). The award was established to honor senior-level researchers who have engaged in research serving patients or in research related to the distribution and utilization of treatment services across population groups who mentor other early and mid-career researchers, advancing the field of addiction.

Daniel Deykin Award for Outstanding Mentor Greater Intermountain Node Co-Principal Investigator Adam J. Gordon, MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM, has been awarded the 2024 Health Services Research (HSR) Daniel Deykin Award for Outstanding Mentor by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This prestigious award recognizes HSR researchers who demonstrate exceptional commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers, particularly by fostering an understanding of the critical perspectives of policymakers, Veterans, and other VA stakeholders. Learn more about the award here. Shauna Filion Panelist at CPDD Shauna Filion, the Greater Intermountain Node’s community representative on the CTN’s Community Representative Council (CIRCL), recently served as a panelist at the 2025 College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) conference during the “Learning from Those with Lived Experience” session. Shauna shared powerful insights on the value of lived experience and emphasized the importance of removing stigma in our interactions with both patients and research participants. Greater Intermountain Node Monthly Newsletter Stay up to date with the latest from the Greater Intermountain Node through our monthly newsletter, GIN Monthly. Each issue features research highlights, network news, and more. You can find the latest issue here and sign up for future newsletters here. Posted on June 13, 2025

Mark McGovern, PhD, of the CTN Western States Node, and his Dissemination and Implementation Center at Stanford recently received a new SAMHSA grant: POPULATION HEALTH: New Tools and Resources for Improving CareThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has launched the Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS) to help providers implement effective, high-quality mental health services. Housed at the Stanford Center for Dissemination and Implementation, the center has partnered with five biregional hubs to identify and develop resources and support organizations to prepare for, implement, and sustain effective mental health programs and practices. CMHIS offers support in measuring patient progress over time, using data to improve service delivery, marketing programs and services, and much more. Congratulations to Dr. McGovern and the CDI! Posted on May 23, 2025

CTN-0115: The patient stigma manuscript was accepted for publication by the Journal of Pain: Bell, S.G., Hamm, M., Wasilewski, J., Wasilko, R., Olejniczak, D., Subramaniam, G.A., Liebschutz, J.M., Bulls, H.W. (2025) “They feel punished for their pain:” Experiences with opioid stigma from the perspective of survivors living with chronic cancer-related pain and clinicians that care for them. Journal of Pain, accepted for publication. WVU affiliated sites continue to have strong recruitment in both CTN-0100 (only 4 more slot open for recruitment) and CTN-0102-XR.  Posted on May 14, 2025.

Dr. Ned Nunes, has been awarded the prestigious R. Brinkley Smithers Distinguished Scientist Award at ASAM in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field. This award honors individuals whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. Ned’s groundbreaking research, unwavering commitment to scientific excellence, and dedication to collaboration make him a truly deserving recipient. Please join us in congratulating Ned on this well-earned recognition! For more information about Dr. Nunes’ award and other awardees, visit the ASAM Awards & Scholarships site! Posted on May 13, 2025.

After 11 years as NorthStar node coordinator, Nate Tessum has moved to a new career opportunity at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. We are thankful for all of the work Nate has done getting the node up and running and through so many important CTN studies. We wish him the best of luck and are grateful to know that he is just down the street with one of our node partners. We look forward to new opportunities to work with him in his new capacity. Posted May 13, 2025.

Join the CTN Western States Node, Northwest ATTC, and Pacific Southwest ATTC for their next joint webinar: CTN-0108: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorder (June 25, 2025, 11am-12:30pm PT). 1.5 CME/CE credits available. Accreditation information. In this session, Kathleen T. Brady, MD, PhD, of the Medical University of South Carolina, will discuss the NIDA N Clinical Trials Network (CTN) study CTN-0108, “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Methamphetamine/Cocaine Use Disorder,” a pilot study that aims to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety for 20 sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) versus sham in adults with a diagnosed methamphetamine or cocaine use disorder. Dr. Brady, co-Principal Investigator for CTN-0108, will present the rationale for the study, including the literature supporting the use of rTMS in stimulant use disorder, as well as the study methodology and preliminary results. Objectives: Register for the CTN-0108 webinar Posted on May 8, 2025.

1.0 CME, ANCC, or Vermont OPR CE credits available! Advances in digital technology, such as mobile devices, have fundamentally changed our society and are rapidly changing how we provide substance use and mental healthcare. In this webinar from the CTN Northeast Node, part of their ongoing Science Series, Dr. Lisa Marsch, Director of the Dartmouth Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, will discuss how digital technology can provide state-of-the science, personalized behavioral healthcare anytime and anywhere.  She will review how data collected from mobile devices can provide new insights into the dynamic nature of substance use and mental health disorders in people’s daily lives and provide personalized digital therapeutic interventions to complement and extend our traditional models of care.  She will highlight the striking behavioral healthcare needs across the globe and how digital technologies can help provide scalable solutions to tackle these population-level needs.  She will provide a vision for the potential of digital technology to help redefine the future of behavioral healthcare. Register for the Digital Tools webinar here! Posted May 8, 2025.