Training Utah healthcare teams to better support pregnant and birthing people with substance use disorder
Official title: Project INSPIRE – (Interprofessional Simulation Program for Clinical Resilience and Empathy) for healthcare teams caring for birthing individuals with substance use disorder in Utah
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11138667 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project trains hospital teams in Utah to reduce stigma and provide kinder, evidence-based care for pregnant and birthing people who use substances.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $927,054 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113169-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11138667 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant or recently birthing people with substance use disorder who receive care at participating Utah hospitals or who are willing to share their experiences with care teams.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or birthing, those without substance use concerns, or those receiving care outside participating Utah facilities are unlikely to directly benefit from this program.
What this research studies
From my point of view, the program builds training modules for hospital staff that include an online webinar, hands-on simulation sessions, and clinical vignettes with real-time feedback using AI to improve empathy. The team will interview patients and providers to understand stigma and care gaps, then co-design and prototype the training with hospitals across Utah. Providers will get booster modules tailored to their needs based on measures like burnout and empathy. Finally, the program will test the training in participating facilities to see how it changes care in the peri-delivery period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could mean more respectful, person-centered care during pregnancy and childbirth and better outcomes for mothers and babies affected by substance use.
How similar studies have gone: Simulation-based training and empathy programs have helped providers in other settings, but combining simulation with AI-driven real-time empathy feedback and tailored booster modules for peripartum SUD care is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
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Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Susanna Rose — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Susanna Rose
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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INSPIRE: Interprofessional simulation to improve care for birthing individuals with substance use disorder
A team-based training program using webinars, in-person simulations, and AI-enhanced feedback aims to improve how healthcare providers care for pregnant people with substance use disorder in Utah.
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Improving care for birthing individuals with substance use disorder
This study is working to improve the care that healthcare teams give to new parents in Utah who are dealing with substance use issues by creating a program called INSPIRE, which trains providers to be more understanding and supportive through various learning methods, so that everyone gets the best care possible during
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Justice Core: Helping pregnant women with substance use get treatment while in jail
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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.