# Transition to Recovery

> **NIH NIH P60** · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $290,053

## Abstract

RESEARCH PROJECT 3 ABSTRACT
The primary goal of alcohol detoxification is to medically manage acute intoxication and withdrawal. Its
secondary goal of fostering entry into longer-term alcohol treatment post-detoxification is often overlooked.
This leads to a revolving door characterized by a cyclical pattern of discharges and readmissions to
detoxification. This pattern is observed across the US among alcohol detoxification patients and is even more
prevalent among Alaska Native people in Fairbanks where only 2% transition to alcohol treatment following
detoxification and approximately 40% are readmitted within 1 year. The revolving door is costly to patients and
providers. Current estimates associated with the cost of detoxification are not available. A study over 25 years
ago indicated the average inpatient detoxification stay was over $3,300. Although the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Administration recognizes that better linkages are needed to transition people to treatment
following detoxification, few interventions have tested ways to improve this transition; none of these prior
studied included either Alaska Natives or American Indians. In partnership with the Fairbanks Native
Association’s Gateway to Recovery (GTR), we propose to use patient navigators to guide and assist patients in
transitioning to appropriate levels of treatment, and to help eliminate barriers that obstruct treatment entry. Our
study first uses GTR’s electronic medical record data to identify factors that predict transition to treatment and
readmission to detoxification among ~1,000 patients seen over the prior 5 years. Second, we will use this
information, combined with focus groups comprised of key stakeholders, to identify appropriate navigator roles
and processes for alcohol detoxification patients. We will then conduct a randomized controlled trial of the
modified intervention with 700 patients. Third, we will estimate the costs of implementing and sustaining this
intervention, Transition to Recovery, as well as its economic value. Our control condition will include 1 session
of motivational interviewing that will include goal setting and strategies to reduce alcohol consumption after
detoxification discharge. Our Specific Aims are to: 1) Use electronic medical record data from ~1,000 patients
to identify factors associated with post-detoxification transition to alcohol treatment and readmission to
detoxification; 2) Adapt Transition to Recovery to fit the GTR patient population and test its effectiveness in
increasing transition to post-detoxification treatment within 30 days and prevent readmission within 1 year; and
3) Perform a comprehensive economic evaluation of Transition to Recovery by using cost-benefit and cost-
effectiveness analyses. This is the first randomized controlled intervention to use patient navigators to enhance
transition to alcohol treatment following detoxification. If effective, this intervention may be a cost-effective
means of trans...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9831047
- **Project number:** 5P60AA026112-03
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SPERO MARTIN MANSON
- **Activity code:** P60 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $290,053
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9831047

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9831047, Transition to Recovery (5P60AA026112-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9831047. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*