# Applying Technology-Enabled Contingency Management for Alcohol Use Disorder At Scale in a Medicaid Population

> **NIH NIH R44** · DYNAMICARE HEALTH, INC. · 2020 · $828,764

## Abstract

7. Project Abstract
This application proposes to continue clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness testing of the
DynamiCare Health platform. This is an innovative smartphone-based digital coaching program
that offers remotely-delivered contingency management (CM), Recovery Coaching, and
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) content to address alcohol use disorder (AUD). CM, which
uses financial incentives to reward abstinence and treatment attendance, is one of the most
effective, evidence-based, and overlooked intervention for substance use disorders (SUD).
DynamiCare, through its remote delivery system, has addressed the logistical barriers to
adoption, and now seeks, through this proposal, to drive payer adoption. Our Phase 1
preliminary data shows that the intervention is acceptable and can be highly effective when
delivered as a supplemental therapy to persons with AUD enrolled in treatment. Phase 2
proposes to partner with Vermont (VT) Medicaid to deploy and test the fully developed
intervention in an RCT among individuals with AUD (n=300). Our goals are to: 1) Deploy the
DynamiCare CM and digital coaching program at scale among VT Medicaid members with AUD;
2) determine clinical effectiveness; and 3) evaluate the cost-effectiveness and
return-on-investment from the payer perspective. This study design addresses a lack in the CM
literature of empirical evidence on the cost-savings for payers from CM. If CM can be shown to
create cost-savings for payers, the final barrier to widespread adoption would fall. Overall, this
Phase 2 project, which follows a highly successful Phase 1, will provide critical data to advance
the utility of this innovative digital platform as it is deployed in the real world to help the
millions of people with AUD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10010760
- **Project number:** 2R44AA026234-02
- **Recipient organization:** DYNAMICARE HEALTH, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Eric Elias Gastfriend
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $828,764
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10010760

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10010760, Applying Technology-Enabled Contingency Management for Alcohol Use Disorder At Scale in a Medicaid Population (2R44AA026234-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10010760. Licensed CC0.

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