# Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (BEAT Meth): A comprehensive systems-level secondary prevention strategy to prevent stimulant related overdoses

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · DENVER HEALTH AND HOSPITAL AUTHORITY · 2022 · $724,425

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overarching goal of the proposed research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a systems-level secondary
prevention strategy to prevent stimulant related overdoses. In 2020, 42% of overdose deaths in Denver
involved methamphetamine. To date, a public health systems approach to enhance linkage and engagement in
care for stimulant use disorder is lacking. Unlike opioid use disorder, for which medications relieve symptoms
of acute withdrawal and prevent relapse, patients with stimulant use disorder present with methamphetamine-
induced psychosis and are often combative, agitated, and difficult to treat. In response to community demands,
our team at Denver Health recently established a pilot program, Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for
Methamphetamine Use Disorder (BEAT Meth), to protocolize the assessment and treatment of patients with
methamphetamine use disorder. While the program has shown preliminary success in reducing hospital length
of stay, readmissions, and improving follow-up to outpatient addiction treatment, it has not been rigorously
evaluated and many patients are not retained in care after discharge. The proposed research will build upon
BETH Meth's initial success by developing, implementing, and evaluating an intervention to better engage
patients into ongoing care after discharge. The current application is in direct response to Objective 1 in the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's notice of funding opportunity for “Research Grants to Develop or
Identify Effective Strategies to Prevent Overdose Involving Illicit Stimulants and Polysubstance Use Involving
Stimulants.” Our multidisciplinary team brings together years of experience in substance use research, process
and outcome evaluation, behavioral intervention development, addiction medicine, emergency medicine,
psychiatry, and clinical care to address the following specific aims: 1) conduct a rigorous process evaluation of
a newly developed protocol to identify and treat patients for stimulant use disorder in emergency settings, 2)
develop and conduct process and outcomes evaluations of a linkage intervention aimed at increasing
continuation and engagement in treatment, and 3) develop a systems-level stimulant continuum of care model
to measure the progression of patients with stimulant-related problems and the effectiveness of health system
protocols and interventions on patients along that continuum. Our novel public health systems approach
leverages partnerships among public health, public safety, and health systems to provide accessible, scalable,
and effective treatments for stimulant use disorder. Our findings will provide empirical evidence for a replicable
systems-level intervention to increase initiation, guide treatment provision, and reduce morbidity and mortality
associated with the overdose crisis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10490804
- **Project number:** 5R01CE003363-02
- **Recipient organization:** DENVER HEALTH AND HOSPITAL AUTHORITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alia Al-Tayyib
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $724,425
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10490804

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10490804, Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (BEAT Meth): A comprehensive systems-level secondary prevention strategy to prevent stimulant related overdoses (5R01CE003363-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10490804. Licensed CC0.

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