Bringing opioid use treatment for teens into primary care clinics
Official title: Workforce and System Change to Treat Adolescent Opioid Use Disorder within Integrated Pediatric Primary Care
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11177017 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project trains and supports pediatric primary care teams to find and treat teens who use opioids so they can get medications like buprenorphine and counseling at their regular clinic.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,316,573 |
| NIH project number | 5R33DA059948-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177017 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Teens and young people who use opioids or other substances, or who have concerns about substance use and receive care at participating pediatric primary care clinics, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not get care at participating clinics, need inpatient or specialty addiction services beyond primary care, or live outside participating regions may not get direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a parent's and teen's perspective, researchers will work with pediatric primary care clinics to add screening, training, and resources so clinicians can identify youth with substance use or occasional opioid exposure. Clinics will get support to offer medications (including buprenorphine when appropriate), behavioral health care, and case management in an integrated team model. The team will gather feedback from families, clinicians, and community partners and track how the new care approach is used and accepted. Over several years the project will refine the model to make it easier for more clinics to offer teen-focused SUD/OUD care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, teens could get faster, easier access to lifesaving treatment and counseling in their usual pediatric clinic, reducing overdose risk.
How similar studies have gone: Integrated primary care approaches have helped adults with opioid use disorder, but applying and testing these models specifically for adolescents is newer and less proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hulvershorn, Leslie a. — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Hulvershorn, Leslie a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Workforce and System Change to Treat Adolescent Opioid Use Disorder in Pediatric Primary Care
A new program aims to help doctors and clinics better identify and treat teens and young adults with opioid or substance use issues within pediatric care.
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Improving treatment for adolescents with opioid use disorder in primary care settings
This study is looking to improve how we help teenagers dealing with opioid use problems by bringing in behavioral health specialists to work alongside their regular doctors, making it easier for them to get the support they need.
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Improving primary care for opioid use disorder and depression
This study is exploring a new way to help people with opioid use disorder and depression by using a team approach in primary care, where a care manager supports patients through phone calls to make it easier for them to get the treatment they need and improve their mental health.
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Finding patients with opioid use disorder who frequently use healthcare services to improve their primary care.
This study is looking for people with opioid use disorder who often visit healthcare facilities, and it aims to create new ways to help them get better care for both their addiction and any other health issues they might have.
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Improving self-management for patients with opioid use disorder and serious mental illness
This study is working on a program to help people with opioid use disorder and serious mental health issues learn to manage their health better, with support from their doctors and healthcare teams.
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Improving access to opioid treatment in rural areas using buprenorphine
This study is looking at how to make it easier for rural Veterans to get buprenorphine, a helpful medication for treating opioid use disorder, so they can receive the care they need just like those in cities.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.