Online training program to prepare peer recovery supporters
Official title: DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL PEER RECOVERY SUPPORTER TRAINING PLATFORM TO DISSEMINATE EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING AT SCALE
Funded at Thrive Digital Health, LLC · NIH-11163445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds an online program to train peer recovery supporters so they can better help people recovering from alcohol and other substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Thrive Digital Health, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Solon, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $952,214 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AA030953-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people in recovery who want to become peer recovery supporters and organizations that train or employ peer supporters.
✕Less likely to help
People who need medical detoxification, intensive clinical treatment, or who are not seeking peer-based support may not directly benefit from this training program.
What this research studies
The team is creating a digital Peer Recovery Support Services training platform that delivers standardized, evidence-based lessons and practical skill practice for peer supporters. In an initial phase they will test the platform with trainers and trainees to make sure it is usable, acceptable, and improves knowledge and skills. In a later phase they will compare the new platform to usual training to see if it leads to better adherence and on-the-job skills. If successful, the platform will be rolled out to organizations to expand access to trained peer supporters nationwide.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people in recovery could access better-trained peer supporters across the country.
How similar studies have gone: Research shows peer support can help people with substance use disorders, but scalable digital training for peer supporters is relatively new and still being tested.
Where this research is happening
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Thrive Digital Health, LLC
Solon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pesce, Christopher Neil — Thrive Digital Health, LLC
- Study coordinator: Pesce, Christopher Neil
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Creating a new training platform for Peer Recovery Supporters
This study is creating a new training program for Peer Recovery Supporters to help them better support people recovering from substance use issues, making sure the training is effective and easy to access across the country.
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.