Online group program to help women with recent incarceration reduce drug use and use contraception
Official title: Adaptation of a Digital Group-Based Intervention to Reduce Drug Use and Increase Contraceptive Use among Reproductive-Aged Women with Recent Histories of Incarceration or Community Supervision
Funded at Fairleigh Dickinson University · NIH-11326197 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An online group program using video calls and interactive activities to help reproductive-aged women with recent histories of incarceration cut down on drug use and start or increase use of birth control.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fairleigh Dickinson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Teaneck, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $190,245 |
| NIH project number | 5K01DA055762-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326197 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Reproductive-aged women with recent histories of incarceration or community supervision who use drugs, are sexually active, and are not currently using contraception but do not want to become pregnant.
✕Less likely to help
Women who already use effective contraception, who are not sexually active, or who lack reliable internet/video access or the ability to join scheduled group sessions may not benefit from this digital program.
What this research studies
You would join a facilitated group that meets by videoconference and uses digital interactive activities designed for women with substance use and recent criminal justice involvement. The program focuses on safer drug behaviors and on helping you access and use contraception if you do not want to become pregnant. Participants will take part in pilot group sessions and share feedback, and researchers will collect information on self-reported drug use and contraceptive use over time. The project is led by a researcher at Fairleigh Dickinson University as part of a training program to adapt this digital approach for this community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could help reduce drug use and lower unintended pregnancy by increasing contraception use and access among women with recent justice involvement.
How similar studies have gone: Digital and group-based interventions have shown promise for reducing substance use and increasing contraceptive use, though this specific adaptation for women with recent incarceration is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
-
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Teaneck, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Slavin, Melissa N. — Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Study coordinator: Slavin, Melissa N.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Couples-based motivational interviewing to reduce drug use and HIV risk in vulnerable male couples
A couples-focused program helps at-risk male couples reduce drug use and HIV risk together.
-
How growing up poor in rural Georgia affects children's brains and risk for drug use
This project looks at how early poverty and stress in rural Georgia change children's brain systems and their later chances of using drugs.
-
Understanding why teens relapse after treatment and how to keep them safe
A teen-focused study will look at why adolescents who finish inpatient treatment sometimes return to high-risk drug use and how that affects overdose risk.
-
Peer-led intervention to spread overdose prevention and support quitting opioids in high-risk communities
A randomized trial will test a peer-education program to reduce overdoses and help people who use opioids start or stay in treatment, by using social networks and new withdrawal-focused strategies.
-
High-Dose Medications for Opioid Use Disorder and Retention in Care
This project tests whether adjusted, higher-dose MOUD regimens can help people stay in treatment and reduce overdose risks during the fentanyl crisis.
-
OVAL: How laws about drug use in pregnancy affect pregnant and new mothers who use drugs
A nationwide project is looking at how laws about drug use in pregnancy influence health for pregnant and postpartum women who use drugs.
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.