# Collaborative care interventions for polysubstance use in primary care settings (Co-CARE study)

> **NIH NIH UG1** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $207,236

## Abstract

Abstract:
The Appalachian Node of NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) will address clinical research questions that
arise from Central Appalachia, an epicenter of the current opioid epidemic. It has among the highest
rates of opioid overdose deaths and related morbidities in the nation. Its rural geography, culture of
independence, strained economy and lack of access to substance use treatment have all contributed to
the epidemic. Joining together University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), West Virginia University (WVU) and Penn
State College of Medicine (PSU), the Appalachian Node will be led by experienced clinical investigators,
Drs. Jane Liebschutz (Pitt) and Judith Feinberg (WVU). The node will bring together successful multi-
disciplinary co-investigators, many of whom had prior CTN experience in other established nodes and
who have been recruited to these institutions to respond to the regional substance use epidemic. The
affiliated academic medical centers cover central and western Pennsylvania (PA) and all of West Virginia
(WV) and have extensive bioinformatics databases with electronic health record and claims data. Use of
a Stakeholder Advisory Group, support from regional payors, and close ties with state and local policy
and public health officials will ensure that research has relevance and a high likelihood of sustainability
after study completion. The three aims of the node are to: 1) conduct multisite trials that will address
the current opioid crisis (and other substance misuse), with an emphasis on conducting studies among
rural and other underserved populations, 2) propose studies to test innovative uses of existing resources
(local pharmacies, peer navigators/peer recovery coaches, mobile technology, state-of-the-art health
information systems) to implement evidence-based practices that will extend state-of-the-art care into
resource-poor regions, both rural and urban, and 3) disseminate CTN findings to regional payers and
policymakers, practitioners, and the community. The node will define local solutions to overcome the
complex interplay of barriers in underserved rural and urban areas. The combination of our resources
and those provided by the CTN will enable us to make a significant impact on the opioid epidemic in
central Appalachia and nationally. Proposed studies built on work of node investigators include: 1)
Serious Bacterial Infections Related to Injection Drug Use: Quality Metrics and Intervention (Liebschutz,
Pollini), 2) Pharmacist-Assisted Buprenorphine Treatment (Winstanley), 3) Leveraging the Learning
Health System to Incentivize Medication-Assisted Recovery for Opioid Use Disorder (Kraemer), and 4) An
“Early Warning” System for Relapse Risk with Smartphone Apps and Wearable Devices (Kawasaki,
Winstanley).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10646600
- **Project number:** 3UG1DA049436-04S4
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** JUDITH FEINBERG
- **Activity code:** UG1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $207,236
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10646600

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10646600, Collaborative care interventions for polysubstance use in primary care settings (Co-CARE study) (3UG1DA049436-04S4). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10646600. Licensed CC0.

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