# AACAP Physician Scientist Program in Substance Use

> **NIH NIH K12** · AMERICAN ACADEMY-CHILD/ADOLESCENT PSYCH · 2022 · $1,771,769

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This renewal application from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) requests
support for the continuation of the AACAP Physician Scientist Program in Substance Use. Most mental and
substance use disorders emerge during childhood and adolescence, but they are rarely recognized or addressed
until adulthood. With specialized training in developmental psychopathology, child and adolescent psychiatrists
are ideally suited to address these disorders before adulthood to reduce associated morbidity and mortality.
While it is clearly recognized that substance use complicates the course of mental disorders, few child and
adolescent psychiatrists receive specialized training to address substance use disorders, and exceedingly few
pursue careers in research to advance substance use disorder prevention and treatment. Established in 1998,
the AACAP Physician Scientist Program in Substance Use addresses this critical shortage by delivering a highly
structured clinical research training and career development program for outstanding child and adolescent
psychiatrists with the potential to make significant impacts on adolescent substance use disorder prevention and
treatment. Since its inception, the program has successfully cultivated the careers of 24 child and adolescent
psychiatrist physician-scientists. Twenty-three of the 24 scholars have gone on to establish or are well on their
way to establishing careers in substance use-related research. AACAP remains an ideal institutional home for
the K12 given its strong institutional commitment, ample resources, and membership that includes more than
95% of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the country, including all current and former K12 scholars. AACAP
has pledged its continued commitment and support of scholars’ career development if the renewal is awarded.
Additionally, K12 scholars’ research presentations at the AACAP Annual Meetings facilitate and accelerate the
pace of translation from research to practice, clearly impacting the field. The program is making important
progress, but more work is needed, as fewer than 2% of child and adolescent psychiatrists are significantly
involved in research, and even fewer have established careers in substance use-related research. This renewal
application proposes to build upon the program’s success to date by addressing the following aims. Aim 1: To
increase the number of independently funded child and adolescent psychiatrist addiction researchers. Aim 2: To
expand the network of senior mentors, academic centers, and addiction research training opportunities for K12
scholars and other early career investigators.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10412061
- **Project number:** 5K12DA000357-23
- **Recipient organization:** AMERICAN ACADEMY-CHILD/ADOLESCENT PSYCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Kevin M. Gray
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $1,771,769
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1998-01-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10412061

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10412061, AACAP Physician Scientist Program in Substance Use (5K12DA000357-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10412061. Licensed CC0.

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