Coordinating prevention of opioid misuse in older teens and young adults
HEAL Initiative: Coordinating Center to Support NIDA Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults
This project brings together researchers and community programs to deliver and improve proven ways to prevent opioid misuse in older teens and young adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11328929 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this coordinating center supports ten prevention projects by helping sites talk to each other, share data, and use the same methods so results are comparable. It helps adapt evidence-based prevention programs to different settings like schools, clinics, and community centers so they fit local needs. The center also leads cross-site data collection and implementation science work to understand how best to put prevention into practice. By centralizing logistics and communication, it speeds up learning about what works for different groups of young people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for studies supported by this initiative are older adolescents and young adults at risk of opioid misuse or those served by participating schools, clinics, or community programs.
Not a fit: People already living with long-standing, severe opioid use disorder seeking treatment rather than prevention, or children much younger than the adolescent age range, may not directly benefit from this prevention-focused effort.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reduce the number of older adolescents and young adults who start misusing opioids and help prevent future opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Previous prevention programs (school-based, family, and community interventions) have shown promise, but this large, coordinated effort to standardize and compare interventions across many sites is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Research Triangle Park, United States
- Research Triangle Institute — Research Triangle Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Graham, Phillip W — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Graham, Phillip W
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 below.