CTN Trial Progress

Randomizations for Active Studies as of the October 9 trial Progress Report.

CTN-0067 - CHOICES Scale-Up. Enrolled 56

CTN-0069 - OUD in the Emergency Department. Enrolled 257

Total randomizations in active trials: 313

News from the Nodes

Northeast Node

On September 12, 2019, Dr. Jennifer McNeely from the Greater New York Node of the Clinical Trials Network (CTN) presented to partners of the Northeast Node to kick off the Node’s 2019-2020 Science Series. Dr. McNeely presented on a draft recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to screen for drug use in primary care settings. With this new draft guideline, alcohol and drug screening are both recommended (Grade B) for all adult patients in primary care clinics, provided that capacity exists to deliver or make referrals to appropriate treatment.

Dr. McNeely is Lead Investigator of National Drug Abuse Treatment CTN studies CTN-0062 and CTN-0062-A1 and has been working with clinical leaders and providers in three diverse health systems (9 primary care clinics) to understand how to best implement evidence-based screening for substance use disorders in electronic health record systems and into the workflow of primary care. In this presentation, Dr. McNeely provided an overview of screening guidelines and tools and spoke to the challenges and successes of implementing substance use screening in primary care settings.

You can view Dr. McNeely’s Science Series presentation here, as well as previously archived presentations.

On November 7, 2019, the Northeast Node will welcome Paula Holigan to present on New Hampshire’s Project FIRST (First Responders Initiating Recovery, Support, Treatment), a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-funded New Hampshire (NH) statewide initiative. Aligned with SAMHSA’s Recovery Support Strategic Initiative, Project FIRST aims to help individuals understand the process of recovery and ensure that proper supports are available to those who need and want them.

As a central part of this model, first responders conduct follow-up visits with persons who have experienced nonfatal overdoses and train at-risk individuals and their support systems on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), NH’s Good Samaritan law, and naloxone administration.

You can follow the Northeast Node on Twitter and Facebook.

Western States

Dennis McCarty of the Western States Node is featured in Addiction Lives, a video series by the Society for the Study of Addiction with wide-ranging conversations with people who have contributed to the field of addiction studies.

McCarty is a Professor Emeritus at Oregon Health & Science University School of Public Health.

Keith Humphreys probes McCarty’s development as an investigator focused on prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug use disorders, his work with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, his contributions to two Institute of Medicine reports, and his work within the NIDA Clinical Trials Network and the NIATx process improvement enterprise.

The Interview and an edited transcript are available on the Society’s website: https://www.addiction-ssa.org/hot-topic/addiction-lives/

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Job Postings

Director, Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, Univ. of New Mexico

UNM is seeking a Director for the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction (CASAA). This is a tenured faculty position with full academic year salary support.

CASAA was previously the home of the Southwest Node of the CTN (2002-2017) and is now part of the Southwest Node Core at UNM North Campus.
Read more and find out how to apply here. . .

ATTC Update

From the ATTC Messenger

September 2019: Using The ASAM Criteria to Modernize and Maximize Success in Addiction Treatment by Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM, President, ASAM

October 2019: Honoring Latinx Culture and Eliminating Behavioral Health Disparities: How the National Hispanic and Latino ATTC is Focused on Improving Outcomes for the Communities They Serve by Maxine Henry, MSW, MBA, Co-Director, National Hispanic and Latino ATTC

New in the CTN Library

Differential posttreatment outcomes of methylphenidate for smoking cessation for individuals with ADHD. Luo SX, et al. American Journal on Addictions (in press).

Understanding site variability in a multisite clinical trials of a technology-delivered psychosocial intervention for substance use disorders. Vaezazizi LM, et al. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 2019;104:64-70.