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Evidence-based prevention interventions for young people have a shelf-life. When programs are revised and updated, it is unclear how much of the evidence carries over into the new edition. This presentation will review some of the challenges and opportunities associated with the recently released second edition of kiR as a case study. The updated version of kiR covers new types of drugs (e.g., vaping) and addresses co-occurring externalizing conditions (several forms of violence involvement). The original evidence was
gathered in Arizona, but kiR is being used nationwide and globally through culturally adapted versions. Additional research is needed to assess moderation of kiR program’s effects based on key participant characteristics and variations in implementation contexts across the US. The presentation will conclude by
exploring the possibility of assessing the feasibility and acceptability of the new version of kiR from multiple stakeholder viewpoints and to identify barriers and facilitators to its adoption and sustainment.

Stigma toward people with substance use disorders (SUD) remains a major barrier to care. This presentation described the methods, results, and implications of a scoping review completed by the CTN T&I SIG’s Implementation Strategies Workgroup to identify and describe implementation strategies used to reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward people with SUD in healthcare settings.

Culturally and contextually grounded preventive interventions can address upstream risk and protective factors to improve equity, but only if they are implemented in systems that serve underrepresented groups. This presentation from Cady Berkel, PhD (Arizona State University) shared findings a program of community based research conducted in partnership with multiple settings (e.g., pediatric primary care, family courts, corrections) to advance equitable access to evidence-based substance use prevention for adolescents and families. Dr. Berkel also discussed implementation science frameworks and designs to incorporate equity and accelerate the translation of research into practice.

This presentation from Dr. Gregory Aarons, PhD, of UC San Diego, focused on leadership, organizational, and team effectiveness implementation strategies. The design and results from multiple randomized leadership and organizational development trials were presented, as well as new emerging work on team effectiveness implementation approaches from the IN STEP Children’s Mental Health Research Center.

This presentation featured the work of CTN-0095: Clinic-Randomized Trial of Clinical Decision Support for Opioid Use Disorders in Medical Settings. Drs. Rebecca Rossom, Stephanie Hooker, and Gavin Bart shared their study approach, key findings, and lessons learned from implementing this pragmatic trial.

In this webinar for the CTN Translation & Implementation SIG, Gail D’Onofrio, MD, MS, and David A. Fiellin, MD, shared their study approach and results for CTN-0069: Opioid Use Disorder in the ED (Project ED Health), as well as considerations for integrating implementation outcome evaluations in efficacy/effectiveness protocols.

This presentation delved into implications of basic emotion science for innovative, mechanistic research on substance use prevention, treatment, and harm reduction. Informed by psychology, neuroscience, and addiction science, Dr. Shiota highlighted distinct research questions revealed through this lens, as well as opportunities for intervention.

In this session at the 2025 Quarterly CTN Steering Committee Meeting on March 11, 2025, presenters Mark McGovern, Joe Glass, and Sophia Gonzalez provided updates from the CTN T&I SIG, including:

• An overview of the history and purpose of the SIG
• Some background on the purpose of implementation science
• A description of the two T&I SIG workgroups: Implementation Strategies and Implementation Outcomes
• A detailed presentation on the results of a systematic review by the Implementations Outcomes workgroup on implementation outcomes included in NIDA CTN studies over 20 years of research.

Incidence, prevalence, and persistence of substance use differ by
generation and by substance. Understanding how each generation
uses alcohol and other drugs, why, and how health is implicated is
critical for public health. The presentation will overview what we
know about current trends in substance use, how rates are organized by age, period, and cohort, and how these trends are shaping public
health overall.

This presentation highlights the role of primary care setting as a conduit for evidence-based intervention access for families. In addition, attention will be given the need to focus on system level interventions to reduce the need for families and youth to be “resilient.”

Dr. Kaliamurthy’s presentation examines a case involving an adolescent who sought treatment within a pediatric health care system for fentanyl use. The focus is on the challenges identified in delivering care to adolescents with opioid use disorder. He also highlights barriers to treatment that must be overcome to deliver the minimum necessary care to ensure engagement in medication treatment for opioid use disorder and reducing overdose risk.

In this webinar for the CTN Translation & Implementation SIG Speaker Series, Dr. Kelly Aschbrenner presented case examples from an implementation science network integrating a focus on health equity.

Dr. Aschbrenner referenced several resources during her presentation, including:

• Dissemination & Implementation Models in Health: An Interactive Webtool to Help You Use D&I Models
• Dr. Aschbrenner’s article in J Clin Transl Sci (2023)

Watch the recording here.

Dr. Graham’s presentation describes the development of the first
vaping cessation intervention for adolescents and young adults,
presents the results of two randomized clinical trials evaluating the
effectiveness of the program, and discusses ongoing work to disseminate the program to young people across the U.S.

More than half of individuals admitted for specialty substance use disorder treatment in California identify stimulants as their primary or secondary drug, yet many people who use stimulants do not seek treatment. Numerous studies have shown that contingency management (CM) is the most effective treatment for stimulant use disorder. California’s innovative Recovery Incentives Program is a groundbreaking initiative that benefits California and serves as a potential blueprint for other states. In this webinar, Drs. Freese and Urada will delve into the program’s achievements and challenges by providing an overview of the Program, and preliminary quantitative and qualitative evaluation findings. Presenters will talk about the connection to technology and the potential for telehealth implementation in the future. Time will be provided for Q&A and discussion with the audience.

In their complementary presentations, Drs. Hammond and Hinckley discuss the association between cannabis use and suicide-related outcomes among youth and young adults. Dr. Hammond presents findings from a study that used 20 years of national mortality data to examine the impact of medical and recreational cannabis legalization on suicide-related mortality among US 12-to-25-year-olds, focusing on variations by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. These findings are discussed within the context of current medical literature on cannabis policy effects and health disparities, with an emphasis on mechanisms, vulnerable
subgroups, and legislative reform. Dr. Hinckley presents data from a secondary analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement, involving youth aged 13-18. This study explores the association between cannabis use, major depressive disorder, and suicidal behavior. Findings are considered within existing literature to further understand how cannabis use and depression together may increase suicide risk among youth.