New project aims to reduce addiction through prevention infrastructure development

Researchers at Wayne State University will work with Michigan agencies and education partners to improve access to school-based substance use prevention and treatment programs for adolescents who are at risk of substance misuse and substance use disorders (SUDs).

The research will be funded by a two-year, $883,176 R61 exploratory grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Andria B. Eisman, associate professor of community health in Wayne State's College of Education, will lead the study, "Reducing Addiction through Prevention Infrastructure Development (RAPID)."

According to Eisman, preventing opioid and other drug use problems before they begin or escalate provides substantial benefits to individuals, communities and society.

"Prevention and early intervention services can help interrupt the progression of substance use problems, ultimately reducing the need for costly downstream treatment of substance use disorders in the future," said Eisman. "This is especially important for marginalized youth, who face elevated risk factors for SUDs and experience challenges accessing necessary services."

While schools offer a crucial setting for implementing evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs to mitigate these risks and promote positive development, many lack the infrastructure required for sustained delivery and long-term impact of school-based services for youth at risk of SUDs.

This project will address this critical need by building upon our research team's prior work, Rapid Adaptation to Prevent Drug Use, to establish a sustainable infrastructure for multi-tiered SUD prevention in high schools. We will work collaboratively with our state agency, community and education partners, and leverage a unique resource in our state, the network of Regional School Health Coordinators, to aid schools in building essential capacity to support substance use services."

Dr. Andria B. Eisman, associate professor of community health, Wayne State's College of Education

The R61 phase of this project is designed to adapt the infrastructure blueprint from the initial RAPID project, which focuses on leveraging existing school strengths and ensuring contextual relevance. The project will also give the research team an opportunity to examine effective financing strategies for implementing substance use services in school settings. The team will identify feasible funding options and create a roadmap to guide their selection, supporting RAPID's goal of improving sustainability of these essential services. If successful, the team will apply for NIH's R33 phase. which will allow them to conduct a large-scale trial of the RAPID infrastructure-building strategies and determine costs and return on investment compared to standard technical assistance.

"This research will offer critical tools needed for the prevention and intervention of substance use disorders," said Dr. Ezemenari M. Obasi, vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State University. "In addition, this program led by Dr. Eisman could create cost-effective strategies that ultimately impact public health by lowering the risk of substance use disorders throughout the lifespan. I look forward to the important outcomes of this research."

The grant number for this award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health is DA063683.