Caring for the Caregivers: A Community-Developed Program to Prevent Substance Use for Children with Incarcerated Parents
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11244802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-designed program helps caregivers of kids with incarcerated parents prevent substance use problems in those children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $730,989 |
| NIH project number | 1R34DA064351-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11244802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Caregivers of children aged 0-11 years who have a parent that is incarcerated and who are willing to engage with a structured, community-delivered program.
✕Less likely to help
Families without an incarcerated parent or those not seeking behavioral health supports may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to adapt and test evidence-based parenting strategies for caregivers who raise children whose parent is incarcerated, focusing on real-world, scalable delivery. It builds on a community steering committee to tailor components to the unique stressors these families face and to improve preventive practices that reduce risk for substance use in children. The team plans to modify proven EBPPs for this population, pilot them in a structured way, and examine feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact. The work is designed to translate research into a scalable program that communities can adopt to support CIP families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce early substance-use risk among children of incarcerated parents by strengthening caregiving practices.
How similar studies have gone: Prior EBPPs have reduced substance-use risk in other high-stress family groups, supporting potential effectiveness in this population with proper adaptation.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berkel, Cady — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Berkel, Cady
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Disrupting social risk factors to help parents in rural areas stay healthy
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Family Spirit Strengths: A home visiting program to help parents and caregivers facing distress and substance use
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Preventing early substance use in American Indian youth and supporting families
A culturally grounded program that strengthens family, cultural, and community ties to help American Indian adolescents avoid starting alcohol and drug use.
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Helping children of parents with substance use disorders improve early language skills
This project looks at whether adding one-on-one parent coaching to group language programs helps infants and young children of parents with substance use disorders build stronger early language skills.
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.